Sometime After the Transplant
by butterfly collective
Summary: Sam's baby needs a transplant and a match turns up in the most unexpected place but is it all as it seems?
1. Chapter 1

Sam McCall-Quartermaine paced the lobby, covering her familiar tracks as she awaited news from the latest round of tests involving her little boy Danny.

At the same time, she was waiting to hear news on whether the man whose DNA matched with his would be able to give him the life-saving transplant. She and her mother, Alexis had been elated at the news that their donor drive had resulted in a match from a most unlikely source. Sam had been bitterly disappointed when newspaper publisher had bumped the story of the bone marrow drive off the front page of his newspaper.

Seriously what kind of story could trump that of saving a little boy? Some guy named Derek Wells had breezed into town and taken over the newspaper, a man who didn't know a damn thing about PC or the people who lived here.

The story that was chosen to replace it? An expose on whether or not Kiki was even a Quartermaine or not…who frigging cared. As her mother put it, _what does that even mean_?

The Qs were the closest thing that PC had to royalty and thus everything that they did was treated as the hottest of news. Perhaps it could have been the Cassadines who actually at one time wore crowns and tiaras but they were viewed as being too certifiably insane to kick the Qs out off the throne. Perhaps from too much inbreeding as was common in royal families.

Sam didn't care about all that right now. Yes, she'd been married to a Quartermaine just like she'd been Miklos Cassadine's granddaughter. Her baby's maternal lineage had given him the same leukemia that had struck his aunt Kristina when she'd been a baby and Sam had hoped that the bloodlines on Danny's father's side could help cure him.

Alas, not to happen that way as the only viable Q had been determined to be unsuitable for donating his marrow so she and Alexis had decided to hold a drive for donors outside their family tree at the hospital.

Derek being tested had pretty much been a fluke. He'd only come down to get tested because he felt guilty for bumping Danny's story off the front page or he thought he might get heat for it from his readers.

Sam figured he'd give his sample and it'd be filed away with all the others as being a mismatch. Never in a million years did she expect to hear that he of all people out there would be the one person who could save her little boy.

Yeah he was a match, a 1 in 50,000 shot since he wasn't a blood relative of hers or Danny's but Silas had explained to her that he still had to be green lighted as a donor through a litany of tests. So she paced the hallways alone.

Her mother Alexis had been wrapped up in the whole tragic murder of Connie Falconeri and Olivia who'd gone hysterical on everyone. Alexis had gone into full lawyer mode trying to settle Olivia down after she'd turned into a blubbering mess after seeing of all things blood pooling inside one of the hospital elevators.

How'd she tied that enigmatic vision into Connie being in danger was anyone's guess but well…what was life in Port Charles without a murder mystery?

Well someone else would have to solve it because Sam's attention was focused entirely on her son. She was his only surviving parent and he needed her right now. Her partner Damian Spinelli was wrapped up in his own baby drama right now. He hadn't told her much about his fascination with Lulu and Dante's newborn but he didn't have to, she could read him like a manual.

Anyway it didn't matter because it looked like the troublemaking A.J. Quartamaine had been nailed by PCPD for murdering Connie in cold blood. He had been handcuffed by Dante of course and carted off to jail where it looked like Anna Devine would break him down into a confession. As soon as she finished dealing with her own family crises.

Sam had glimpsed a flash of A.J. unshaven and dazed on the news as he was being taken to jail. Sonny of course being Sonny had shown up to brandish a gun while threatening to shoot A.J. Even though he committed multiple felonies, he was not arrested by his son Dante.

Sam had missed all that drama remaining at the hospital where her son Danny had been staying for the past month, gravely ill. Only now instead of a blood relative showing up from any corner of the earth or even as a skeleton emerging from some family closet, he'd turned out to be a more ordinary man.

She'd underestimated Derek who didn't turn out to be a bad guy after all. In fact, he seemed to like Danny and had asked to hold him. Her mother seemed to get along with him as well.

He'd been at the hospital finishing the final round of tests which Silas said would take a day or two to come back.

If it all looked good, then Derek would be green lighted for the transplant and as far as Sam was concerned it couldn't happen soon enough.

* * *

Kiki wandered the hallways of the hospital passing out fliers for what Alexis thought might be a missing dog but as she picked one up, she saw that apparently Franco who'd been laid up in the hospital on some trumped up medical condition or another had gone missing.

The only place this sociopath belonged was in a jail cell. Alexis glanced at Kiki, the girl whose family lineage had bounced Danny's story off the front page of the newspaper and just shook her head. The girl who was dressed like a troll up obviously was lacking for some parental guidance. But then if she was hanging around with the likes of Franco, that explained an awful lot.

She bumped into Felicia who had been there to visit Maxie who apparently was suffering from postpartum depression. Alexis hadn't caught the whole story with her giving birth to Dante and Lulu's baby via surrogacy except what Mac had told her over coffee. Felicia looked worn and Alexis knew it must be so tough on her. She'd lost her youngest to a serial killer and nearly lost her firstborn to complications with the birth.

"Oh Hi Alexis…"

"Hi Felicia…how's Maxie doing?"

Felicia smiled.

"Much better…thanks for asking. Not many people have done that…they all seemed focused on the baby…not that it's wrong or anything but what about my Maxie?"

Alexis sighed.

"I'm sure it must be hard on her…going through such a harrowing experience but she'll come through it just fine."

Felicia just looked so worried but Alexis could tell she looked much happier since her wedding to Mac. Alexis had been really happy for him even though she and Mac had shared a lot of coffee dates in the past. It was just never going to work for them but they'd always be close friends.

"Mac told me some guy tried to hit on you the other night at the Floating Rib."

Alexis waved her hand.

"Oh that…it was that newspaper publisher Derek Wells and he just wanted to explain why he moved the bone marrow story off the front page."

Felicia shrugged.

"I never understood why they bumped it just to print a story on someone _not_ being a Q heir. So what? They just saved that person's life in case Tracy was planning to bump her off."

Alexis knew some of Tracy's history but not all of it.

"But I hope you find a match for Danny…"

"Oh we did Felicia…and of all people guessed who it turned out to be?"

Felicia ventured a guess.

"Tracy Quartermaine?"

Alexis shook her head.

"No…it's not a Q at all. It's Derek Wells…"

Felicia's eyes widened.

"What were the odds of that?"

"Something like 1 in 50,000. Molly just pointed that out…"

Felicia frowned.

"That's a coincidence to end all of them don't you think?"

Alexis had wondered about that too, in fact she was wondering about quite a few things…including about this Derek Wells.

* * *

Molly sipped her cola in the hospital cafeteria. Since her family spent most of its time at the hospital, she'd suggested that they head to the cafeteria but she and Rafe had gone alone.

That's when they heard the guy…who'd said he was Derek Wells on the phone saying something crazy like not telling people who he really was...which sounded awfully mysterious to her.

Of course being direct about such things, she'd approached him and asked about it. He'd come up with the pat answer that adults give teenagers who they think aren't smart enough to figure out something's up with that.

She just smiled and went along with it. He seemed unduly interested in her once she mentioned being Sam's sister, her half-sister. Well, if he was hiding a secret, he'd never get it passed her.

"He seems like a nice guy," Rafe said, "and if he can save Danny's life…"

Molly sighed.

"I know but what he said…and how he tried to fool us like we're teenagers."

"We are teenagers."

"Yeah whatever…I don't know if I believe he's who he says he is…"


	2. Chapter 2

Ava rocked it in her red dress and she knew it. She'd worn the black number with the matching purse complete with rhinestones but no one had really noticed it. Of course she'd heard on the news that Connie Falconi had been brutally murdered in the office building where Derek published the newspaper.

How shocking!

Not that the blond bimbo didn't have it coming to her but still…and she'd heard that the keystone Kops at what passed for a police department in this berg had arrested A.J. for the crime. She remembered seeing the two of them together and the vibes…well they hadn't been good at all.

It just hadn't been a good day at all. Not that Connie's murder ruined it or anything. That was good news especially if one of the Qs was going down for it. But then she'd heard that Sonny had shown up to confront A.J. waving a gun at him, screaming threats.

That excited Ava who felt Sonny to be a virile man, though surely he'd lost a step since he'd first stormed into PC years ago and seized the territory. Not that she intended to let him keep it. No, she had her plan to implement. Soon enough Sonny would lose all his holdings, all his power, and finally his dignity and it'd all go to her and Julian.

Ah, but that was what had really cramped her day. It seemed that her brother and co-partner in this plot to take over PC had become…distracted. She didn't know why he'd told her that he'd knocked up Alexis Davis and she'd had his kid and then that kid had another kid who got sick and needed Julian's bone marrow to survive. God, they hadn't been in PC for long and already complications…she didn't need that, not to get what she wanted. What they both wanted.

A hell of a time for him to find out he had other family in town. Really, especially one arising out of a one night stand back 30 or so years ago.

She needed to get him back on track before all their plans went up and smoke. The elevator door opened and there she saw Kiki handing out those damn fliers. She knew they were about Franco, the man who wasn't her father.

It was Silas who hadn't looked all that happy to see her the other day but then he'd see reason and understood that only one woman could ever truly care about him and love him.

She'd make him see that. She'd also make sure Julian got over this foolishness and got back on track with the plan.

* * *

Alexis rejoined Sam in the room where Danny slept, exhausted both from his illness and from all the visitors. She'd brought back some dinner from the cafeteria for her daughter who picked at it. This was all taking such a severe toll on Sam but Alexis understood it having gone through it herself with Kristina.

Of course everything was different between her and Sam back then. For most of the time they'd known each other as mother and daughter. Sam glanced up at her mother from where she sat next to Danny's crib.

"Silas said he finished all the tests on…Derek."

She still had trouble calling the publisher by his first name. But she already owed him so much…for offering to save Danny.

"That's good…I'm sure he'll pass all of them with flying colors."

Sam paused.

"What was going on between you when I came back? I mean you seemed so deep in conversation…like I interrupted something."

Alexis just looked at her, eyes blinking and reaching for her sandwich.

"What…oh it was nothing. We just made small talk. We don't really know each other after all."

Sam ran a hand through her hair.

"It's like a miracle isn't it? I was beginning to lose hope…after that testing and nothing," she said, "Now it's all turned around and my son has a real chance."

Alexis smiled.

"Yes he does. He deserves that, you deserve that. I really believe this transplant's going to work and Danny will be just fine."

"I hope so…it's going to be hard for him," Sam said, "He's going to have to be in isolation so he doesn't get sick."

"It's going to work…"

Sam nodded.

"I know…that's what Silas said to me before…"

But she wasn't going to tell her mother about "the kiss" between her and the doctor whose heart of ice had started thawing as he got more involved in Danny's case and in her. She definitely felt a connection with the enigmatic man, nothing like with Jason of course but her husband was dead.

She had to keep living. After all she had a little boy to raise who depended on her.

* * *

Sometimes Julian had to catch himself when it came to his real name. It'd been hard to shed it along with the rest of his past and build a new life but so necessary after all the fallout. Besides he didn't mind being Derek Wells or even being in the newspaper business.

But nearly getting caught by two teenagers in the hallway…that hadn't been smart. They seemed to buy his story that he thought up quickly on the spot. Not exactly a lie and certainly not telling the truth. Sometimes it was hard to watch everything he said, or did. He was waiting for someone to recognize him but so far…though he'd made it even tougher than the passage of time.

He'd wanted to return here and retake what was his family's for a long time, but he'd needed to lay out the foundation first including his new life. Sometimes he wondered if perhaps his ambitions paled alongside that of his sister. She teased him about that but layered her words with more than a hint of menace which told him she was serious.

Deadly so.

He'd prepared for everything in the master plan down to the letter, including every detail, every factor known and unknown.

Every contingency…but then one had arisen he could have never anticipated. He never imagined that he'd have a readymade family present itself. To say the discovery of his daughter and grandson had shocked him that put it mildly. He didn't shock easily after all, not growing up the way he did in a mobster family.

He certainly didn't expect to be holding his own grandson which in itself seemed unnatural. His own flesh and blood.

But telling his newly discovered family the truth…he couldn't go there. He had the means to save the lives of one of them.

That would just have to be enough.

* * *

Carly curled her tongue over her lips looking at the mighty fine looking man sitting in the waiting area not far from her.

She just had to have herself some of that!

Derek Wells had sailed into town to take over the flagging rag that had nearly shut down and whipped it back into shape in amazingly short time. She'd been too busy with her own crises what with the hotel needing to have the penthouse suites renovated and her youngest son coming to town. It all kept her busy but she had to have herself some fun.

She'd shipped off her daughter to her father Jax which gave her more time for fun and frolic. She'd had this insane pull to Franco a man she should really despise but she couldn't help herself. But it wasn't really healthy so she needed to find herself a new man…and quick.

Derek might do. She never saw him with a woman except that crazy Ava and well, Carly knew just how hot she was and how every hunk of man, dangerous or otherwise, in PC wanted her too. It'd be child's play to seduce the publisher.

She knew how she'd do it. Her hotel needed a new advertising campaign to fill more rooms…to restore its image as the place to stay in PC. Between the recession, the fire, the terrorism and all the violence, her profits had suffered so she needed to reinvent it and Derek would help her do that.

Tonight she'd go through her closets and pick out just the right outfit to wear to her meeting with him. Oh she'd be so dressed to kill, getting him between her 800 thread sheets would be easy enough. Besides she needed to get Sonny to notice her again and if she walked around with a hunk of a man like Derek, he'd forget about Connie…Kate…whoever she was this week getting iced. Not that she wanted Sonny back, she just wanted him thinking about her as he should be.

As everybody should be doing. She glanced back at Derek but he seemed lost in thought.

Not to mention a million miles away. No mind, she'd fix that and soon. She might be out of another marriage but the girl still had it.


	3. Chapter 3

Sam looked at Silas who'd give her the news that Danny's condition had worsened and they needed to transplant new marrow into him quickly.

Relatively speaking due to how long the process would be, after they nuked the old one which leave the little boy without the protection against illness. Sam knew that part of it would be hard…because she'd be able to hold or even though her child without protective gear. How would Danny fare, would he still know she loved him?

God, this had been a nightmare and sometimes at night when she sat or lay down wherever to catch a catnap, she'd miss her husband so much she could barely breathe. Sometimes when she closed her eyes, she thought she saw him.

A flash of everything familiar, everything she had loved so fiercely. The smile on his face, the affection in his brilliantly colored yes, the scent of his favorite cologne.

She'd reach out to him but the solid man in front of her would fade to a silhouette and then he'd be gone.

Leaving her alone again.

No she wasn't alone. She had Danny, a living reminder of Jason not to mention Alexis, Molly, Kristina, Spinelli and others.

And Silas.

Yeah at first he'd been standoffish to the point of being rude. Chilly to the point she though he had a heart of ice but over the time they spent together, he'd started thawing…then there'd been casual brushes of the hand, impromptu hugs which caught them both by surprise and then the kiss.

He seemed uncomfortable afterward and said it wouldn't be repeated. She'd found out about Kiki being his daughter and thought that explained a lot.

She really liked him but she'd loved her husband. The kiss had been…interesting but she knew she had to focus her attention on saving her son's life.

* * *

Alexis saw Carly standing there and just wanted to avoid the witch. But then she saw Kiki still handing out fliers about Franco so she wound up bumping into Carly by the nurse's station. Carly just looked at her as if she were lesser.

"Hello Alexis."

"Carly…"

"Any luck with the bone marrow drive?"

Alexis smiled.

"Why yes…we found a donor match for Danny and we find out later if it's going to be a go for the transplant."

Carly examined her manicure.

"That's good news. Who is it?"

Alexis hedging remembering Derek's request to remain low key about it.

"It's anonymous you know that Carly."

"Should I? Well, I guess that for the best. Given that every newspaper and TV outlet will be rushing to this person for an exclusive interview given how much people care about it."

Alexis detected sarcasm in Carly's voice.

"Well, the purpose of taking it to the media was to promote the bone marrow drive so that we had a better chance at finding a match from an unrelated person."

"Of course…"

They both looked up as they saw Derek walk up to them.

"Hi Alexis…"

She smiled at him.

"Hello Derek…"

He looked over at Carly.

"You must be Carly Jacks, owner of the Metro Court Hotel."

She smiled at him.

"Co-owner but I run the place…when I'm not busy with other things."

He smiled at her.

"I'm very impressed with your hotel," he said, "You obviously put a lot of care into it."

"Of course I did. I've been meaning to talk to you about it," she said, "While you're here…"

She glanced over at Alexis.

"Excuse us…we need to discuss business."

Alexis looked at the two of them.

"Of course…I'm here to check on Sam and Danny."

Derek narrowed his eyes.

"I trust everything's going well with Danny?"

Alexis sighed.

"As well as can be expected…a lot depends on…"

"The transplant…of course. I hope it works out well for him and his family."

Carly glanced at one and then the other, and then smiled.

"I'm sure everything will work out Alexis," she said, "Danny's got a lot of people hoping it works out for him."

Then she and Derek walked away and she turned to him.

"I've got a business proposition for you…"

He smiled at her clearly bemused.

"I imagine you do," he said, "I'll be at my office in the morning and I can clear some time for you."

She tilted her face.

"I was thinking maybe we could discuss it over dinner…at the Floating Rib. They have a good filet mignon."

He hedged.

"That's tempting but I've got work to do back at the office until late…the police just finished processing the murder scene for one of my employees."

Carly sighed.

"Yes Connie…how tragic."

"Indeed…but we can discuss business tomorrow."

She nodded but still intrigued. After all, he was tall, dark and handsome…and new in town. What was there not to like?

She'd just have to find a way to make sure Sonny saw them together.

* * *

Diane showed up to talk to A.J. who was still locked up as the primary suspect in the murder of Connie Falconi.

Pure madness not to mention incompetence on the part of the PCPD. But what else was new? The police department had hit hard times and fired most of its officers. You had Anna, an overly emotional commissioner who had the potential to be a hard ass but never seemed to follow through with it. Where the hell was she anyway?

Then Dante, who was related to the murder victim, not to mention being one of the many byproducts of Sonny's sperm donations. God only knew how many children the capo of PC's mafia had out there waiting to be discovered still.

It was nothing short of a miracle that with all the babies needing to know their daddies in recent weeks, Sonny hadn't left a footprint in any of those dramas.

"Look I got to meet Alexis for drinks later on," she said, "but I have a few moments. Is A.J. going to be charged or not?"

Dante who was running the fort while Anna was out stared at her.

"The man's a cold blooded killer," he said, "My mama's in there crying her eyes out over losing her. A.J.'s going to pay."

Diane wanted a few moments alone to whip some sense into the nice looking but obviously dense young cop. But then considering his breeding…he was doomed from the start.

"How do you even know he did it?"

Dante narrowed his eyes.

"Connie wrote "A.J." in blood on a notepad lying close by."

Diane sneered.

"Oh that was convenient. How do you know she wrote it, how do you know she even meant A.J.? There's more than a dozen people living in PC you know, it's just that not all of them make the news."

"We've got…proof."

"Like what? A signed confession, a murder weapon, fingerprints…DNA? Any of these things?"

"Well…it's early in our investigation."

"Yet you've already decided it had to be A.J."

Dante remained resolved.

"It is him and we'll prove it."

Diane sniffed.

"I doubt it but I look forward to watching you try."

She turned her heels and walked right on out of there as he watched her go.


	4. Chapter 4

Mac served them both margaritas and told them he'd been experimenting on some tapas. Both Alexis and Diane were in the mood to sample them.

"We'll tell you what we think Mac," Diane said, "I lived in Seville six months with a bull fighter."

That didn't surprise Alexis. Nothing about her friend surprised her anymore. Even though they were opposites in so many ways, they'd gotten to be good friends. Though both had been so busy in recent months that girls' nights out were not as frequent.

Tonight they made an exception. Diane wanted to forget about her involvement in the Falconi murder and Alexis wanted a break to think about something else besides the medical crisis involving her grandson.

"So why are you so preoccupied and don't you dare tell me it's just about Danny and Sam…"

Alexis sighed, knowing she couldn't ever fool Diane.

"If there's a man involved I'll scream…"

Alexis had to smile at that.

"Not exactly…you know I swore off of them after Shawn."

Diane sipped her margarita shaking her head.

"Now _that_ I don't understand. I can understand not getting all serious about one guy but not having a string of them set aside for fun? I don't get that."

"I've never been like that," Alexis said, "though sometimes I wish I could be like you…minus the leather and handcuffs."

Diane just smiled.

"Got to have my toys to play with…a lot of men like that stuff."

Alexis rolled her eyes and tried one of the tapas that Mac had brought to them finding it quite tasty. She knew Diane was trying to get her tipsy with the margaritas to get her to spill but she wasn't having it.

"I don't have time for men and after Shawn…that didn't go well. But what I don't need is another hired hit man…though he was something."

Diane smiled.

"He's gorgeous and hard bodied. That I do like in a man, enough to overlook other things."

Alexis sighed.

"I don't know if I can…but how am I supposed to get a date in PC if all I meet are mafia members or their dysfunctional relatives?"

Diane leaned forward.

"So there is a guy."

Alexis bit into her tapa.

"No there's not. There's a bone marrow donor."

Diane brightened.

"I heard. Brilliant. Who is he…or she?"

Alexis paused.

"I can't say…I promised. He wants to keep a low profile."

Diane arched her brows and purred.

"Oh it's a 'he' even better. Is he single?"

Alexis harrumphed.

"Well…yes but so he is…it's not his body that matters…well except for his bone marrow of course."

Diane whistled.

"Alexis…how cold. Is he good looking at least?"

Her friend shrugged.

"Some might say…but if he can save my grandson's life that's what matters?"

Diane gave up.

"I can't believe that you really are giving up men."

"Well believe it. After Shawn…no more."

* * *

Sam sat near the crib where Danny lay sleeping. Molly had joined her after having spent the afternoon with Rafe at some music festival.

"So this Derek Wells, what do you know about him?"

Sam shrugged.

"He's the publisher of the newspaper and he did a story on the drive. Not a front page article because they ran one on some ELQ scandal instead. But he felt guilty enough about it to volunteer for the drive."

Molly sighed.

"Go away for a little while and I miss everything. But I hope it works out, it's just that…"

Sami stroked her son's back.

"What?"

Molly hesitated.

"He just seems real secretive. I mean for someone who's just the publisher of the town newspaper."

"He seems like he's just a very private person to me," Sam said, "a more behind the scenes guy."

Molly frowned.

"I heard that Connie died in his building and that someone shot her. I know they arrested A.J. but are they sure he did it?"

Sam shrugged.

"I don't think the police have pressed for any charges yet," she said, "They're just interested in questioning him."

Her half-sister appeared pensive.

"I heard Sonny went chasing after A.J. with a gun," she said, "why wasn't he arrested?"

Sam sighed, not wanting to get into Sonny's complicated relationship with PCPD.

"I don't know…but maybe the police thought A.J. was the more likely suspect."

Molly shook her head.

"It's because Dante showed up and he wouldn't arrest his own father."

Sam shrugged.

"Like I said, it's very complicated."

Molly appeared to consider that then she joined Sam by the crib looking down at Danny.

"So when's the transplant?"

"When Silas says it's a go. It's looking good for Derek as a donor. But they have to get Danny ready for it and it's going to get rough on him."

"Rougher than this?"

Sam nodded.

"Much…he could get sicker…or get an infection even…"

But she couldn't finish and Molly didn't press the issue.

"It just has to work," she said instead, "We just have to have faith that it's going to happen."

* * *

Ava looked across the restaurant at the Floating Rib and saw Alexis there with that woman named Diane who she heard had gone to the police station to help a jailed A.J. She heard that Diane had been quite formidable and Alexis…well she'd been that one night stand that Julian had reported to her the other day.

Not that it mattered because he'd been focused on their plan and mentioned meeting with Carly in the morning to discuss an ad campaign for the Metro Court. Ava didn't trust the town hussy one bit, after all she'd heard all about her since her own arrival. But Carly's son had married her daughter so they'd all bump into each other.

Mac walked over to ask her if she wanted to try his tapas. She tilted her face looking at him.

"Yes I would…and a scotch."

He poured the scotch and she saw Alexis and Diane laughing at their table. Then Carly walking in up to the bar.

"Hi Ava…how's it going?"

Ava shrugged.

"Good business day…and I'm here to relax."

"Me too… I've been working all day on the hotel," Carly said, "I think we're going to take a new approach with the advertising so I'm meeting with Derek Wells."

Ava watched her carefully, sipping her drink.

"He does marketing? I thought he just published scandalous articles…"

Carly smirked.

"That too…you want to live in this city, you better have a thick skin with the press."

"Oh I do…but that publisher. He'd better watch out if he even thinks of doing such a stunt again. I will consult with my attorney. I've got my daughter to protect."

Carly sipped her drink which Mac served her.

"I've got my son who's married to your daughter."

"Meaning…"

"Just that she should keep him happy," Carly said, "so I'll stay happy and so will Sonny."

Ava pursed her lips.

"It'd help if you'd keep Michael away from my daughter," she said, "He's trouble."

Carly curled her lip.

"How do you know Kiki…or Lauren…or whoever's not trouble," she said, "Granted the girl's got not much of a brain given that she's out at the GH passing out fliers on Franco."

Ava narrowed her eyes.

"You know anything about where he might be?"

Carly shook her head.

"I wouldn't care where he is now. As long as it's not near my sons."

Ava just sipped her drink, her brain already working.


	5. Chapter 5

Derek turned around and faced Silas.

"So is this going to hurt?"

Silas arched a brow at him.

"Not much," he said, "maybe you'll get a backache for several days. We can prescribe painkillers."

Derek shook his head.

"I don't need them," he said, "I scheduled a light work week to get ready for this, whenever it's time."

Silas sighed.

"We have to get Danny ready first. That involves making him a lot weaker in order for his body to be ready to accept your marrow."

"How risky is that going to be for him?"

Silas studied the man.

"Very risky but it's his only chance of beating the leukemia and having a normal life."

Derek digested that.

"How long will it take him to be ready for the transplant?"

Silas pursed his lips.

"Depends on his tests but he'll need it soon. His illness is very aggressive, any day delay might be a day too late."

"Whatever I can do to help get it done…just tell me."

Silas looked at him curiously.

"You seem very motivated for someone who's an unrelated donor."

Derek challenged him.

"Anything wrong with that?"

"No…not at all," Silas said, "It's just that usually the donors don't get so…involved."

Derek sighed.

"I just feel a bit guilty for having to pull the article off the front page."

Silas's eyes turned colder.

"Of course…anything for the story."

Derek didn't flinch.

"It's part of my job. I make the final call on all stories on whether they'll be published or where."

Silas didn't comment on that because what had happened between him and Ava years ago wasn't anyone else's business. When he asked if Ava was going to offer up her organs for transplant, he wasn't kidding.

But then he remembered he'd seen her with Julian in the hallway.

"So you know Ava…"

Derek narrowed his eyes.

"I know of her…but what makes you think I know her?"

Silas just fell silent not pushing the issue.

"You obviously know her."

Silas nodded.

"You can say that…you published my daughter's damn birth certificate."

"Hey I was just doing my job," Derek said, "Any publisher would have done the same with such a hot story."

Silas just stared at him. Derek smiled.

"Don't take it out on me when you extract the marrow… I know you might not agree with my editorial decision but I really want to save Danny's life."

Silas looked at his face, listened to his voice and believed him. He didn't even want to ask the man in front of him why.

* * *

Sam looked up as Alexis walked into the room with breakfast.

"Hi mom…thanks…I was just going to head to the cafeteria."

Alexis smiled.

"Mac's place made this…it's much better than the food here."

Sam took the breakfast plate from her mother and started eating. She'd been famished without realizing it.

"So how's my grandson?"

Sam smiled.

"He slept well…Silas said it's only matter of time before they start getting him ready for the transplant but he's going to have to be isolated from being touched or held so he doesn't get sick."

Alexis rested her hand on her daughter's shoulder.

"It'll be all right. He's a strong little boy who's going to make it."

Sam sighed.

"I know…did you have fun last night?"

Alexis shrugged, sipping her own latte.

"I should have stayed with you instead…but…"

Sam sighed.

"I needed some time and space mom…sometimes I just miss my own time with my little boy like we had before he took sick. Doctors, nurses around him all the time…fussing over him. I love having you and Molly, Nick here but sometimes I miss just being at home and holding him, just the two of us."

"I know Sam. I felt the same way about Kristina when she was ill. I know I was crazy back then but I was so scared for her. I did things…"

Sam shook her head.

"No…I understand actually. Now that I've been in your shoes with Danny. I think I really get it. It must have been so tough back then…"

Alexis pursed her lips.

"It was tough on you…I made it tough on you…and I'm sorry about that."

Sam smiled.

"We're past that now. You've really been there for me since this started. Putting so much time in the donor drive. Getting on Derek Wells."

"Yeah I guess I did…I apologized to him for it at the Floating Rib. He looked so concerned Sam. I don't know why but I think he really cares about Danny and…"

Nick walked in bearing gifts for Danny including a stuffed frog which he gave to Sam who put it in his crib.

"Pretty soon he won't be allowed any toys or stuffed animals," she said, "but they'll be waiting for him when he's better."

Nick hugged her and she could tell he'd been through the ringer himself but she didn't push for details. He hugged his aunt as well then looked at them both.

"So this Derek Wells…he's going to go through with it?"

Sam nodded and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"He promised and I believe him. You should have seen it when he held Danny. It was so…so…"

She couldn't find the words for it. But something in the man's eyes…she couldn't place it but it had caught her attention.

Nick frowned.

"Derek Wells…who's he?"

Alexis interjected.

"He's the new publisher of the Port Charles rag. Just breezed into town when no one was looking. He's quite…"

Her skin flushed as she remembered her last encounter with him in Danny's hospital room when he invaded her space and flirted with her! Maybe Mac had been right about him after all.

Nick looked pensive.

"I can't wait to meet him…if he's saving Danny's life."

Sam looked at her cousin.

"How are things going with you?"

He sighed.

"I've been trying to help Britta…you know her…"

Alexis frowned.

"She made that announcement at the Nurse's Ball. Freaked Lucy out…something about carrying Patrick's baby."

"It's not his baby…they had a big showdown and he was really hard on her. Hassling a woman about to give birth…"

Alexis sighed.

"I know the feeling…but Nick, you need to be careful of her. She's got a lot of issues…Patrick might be the least of them."

"I know but she needs someone to be there for her…"

Alexis knew that her nephew had made up his mind. He often went for the underdog, an unusual trait in a Cassadine.

He turned to face her and Sam.

"Tell me when the transplant's happening. I want to be here."

Sam nodded.

"Of course…it shouldn't be much longer."

* * *

Carly fumed. She had her meeting with Derek that morning at his office which had been cleared for business. She'd learned that her ex Sonny had acted the fool over Connie's murder, threatening A.J. but that didn't surprise her.

She'd birthed children by both men and well, she'd seen Liz fussing over A.J. in recent weeks and though she didn't like the weakling who'd dragged Jason down during that relationship, she felt like dropping her a few hints about her latest boyfriend.

A.J. had behaved more recklessly than usual for him and Michael had tried to step in between his two fathers so that one wouldn't shoot the other. God, she really had to have a talk with her eldest son. Not much she could do about Sonny's latest downhill spiral.

Anyway, forget about her ex, Sonny and focus on how Derek was going to help her push the Metro Court to even greater heights.

Oh and if he scratched an itch or two along the way, so much the better.


	6. Chapter 6

Alexis had read the newspaper clippings when she first arrived in PC years ago. Huge headlines in 25 point type, stating that the town had nearly been turned to ice. She'd never understand why it'd been chosen to be frozen by her family rather than New York City, D.C. or perhaps Miami? But then there was no explaining her father, Miklos who was the patriarch of the family at the time.

He'd needed a machine to freeze people, whereas his bride Helena could do it with a glance. Alexis knew she was always the most dangerous of the lot, mostly because she used the others in the family like pawns on her chessboard.

Luke had brought her terrifying reign to an end merely by shooting her with a gun. Helena had proved mortal after all.

Stavros had most recently joined his father and one of his brothers in the ice chamber.

But PC kept the articles in the archives and even had them on display in its museum in the historical section along with a life sized model of the so-called Ice Princess. An ugly assed diamond hiding a secret formula for world domination. Not to mention a full scale ice chamber that museum visitors could walk through. What passed for entertainment in this town, she didn't really understand.

Alexis' goals in life were somewhat smaller in scope and simpler. She'd been a Cassadine by birth but that wasn't how she chose to live her life.

She was Alexis Davis, which came after she chopped off the married name of the aunt who'd taken care of her. That's how people knew her except for Luke who had this strange habit of calling her by her given name, Natasha when he was in town.

She sat in the cafeteria getting a bite to eat. Sam had told her that Silas had started the treatment on Danny so he'd be ready to receive the transplant from Derek. He'd be placed in an isolation tent so she was in his hospital room holding him one last time before that happened.

Liz walked up to her looking utterly exhausted but Alexis knew she had her hands full with A.J.'s downhill spiral that might have climaxed in murder. Imagine hitting rock bottom in a jail cell facing life in prison on murder charges. Alexis didn't really think he did it but she'd remembered how distraught Olivia had when she had the vision of blood in the elevator and then it turned out…Connie was lying in a pool of blood. Some rumor that she'd written her killer's name in blood which seemed melodramatic to Alexis but apparently that's what led police to arrest him rather than the man waving a gun and screaming at him.

"Hi Liz…"

The nurse's smile was wan.

"Hi…I'm just halfway through a shift and it's busy in the ER."

Never a dull moment in a town that saw as much violence and mayhem as PC. Alexis smiled back at her.

"Nikolas is on his way here. He had some business and will be here right after."

Liz sighed.

"His business is Britta and I really wish he wouldn't get involved with her. She's been arrested too."

Alexis vaguely remembered reading about that. Not that she'd paid much attention to the news lately what with being so busy with the bone marrow drive and helping to support her daughter.

"But enough on me. How's Danny doing? I heard Silas is preparing him for the transplant."

Alexis nodded. She knew that just thinking Danny might bring Liz some angst given that she'd lost her own son fathered by Jason. But Liz looked concerned.

"It's going to be tough on him," Alexis said, "but he's a strong little boy with a very strong mother and he's going to get through this crisis."

* * *

Sam knew in a few minutes they'd be taking Danny to put him in the isolation tent because his body would be weakened and he'd be vulnerable to illness. So she'd held him all morning talking and singing to him.

Soon enough he'd have the transplant that would give him a fighting chance to live and grow up. Silas seemed confident that it would reverse the cancer. She heard footsteps behind her and turned around to see Derek standing in the doorway.

She smiled at him still holding her son.

"Hi there…"

"May I come in?"

Sam looked at the man in front of her and he didn't seem like the type to ask permission to do much but he had asked her.

"Sure…they'll be in here soon to put him in the isolation tent so I won't be able to hold him for a while."

He looked sympathetic.

"That must be rough. I couldn't imagine what I'd do…if he were my son."

She shrugged.

"I'm his mother. I love my son," she said, "What about you Derek, do you have any children?"

He just stared at her, his eyes not blinking.

"I'm sorry…it's none of my business forget I asked…"

He shook his head.

"No it's all right. I haven't had much time for family…"

She digested that while rocking her son. He watched fascinated despite himself. He saw her mother in her features but if when she'd looked at him just then…he shook his head. He couldn't afford to think about any recently discovered family right now. Ava was right, he had to stick to the plan and soon it'd be time to launch an offensive.

"Oh…I didn't expect to have Danny in my life. It took a long time to get there but it's been so worth it. The only thing that would make it better…but you can't change the past and you can't bring someone back from the dead."

Meaning the baby's father Jason.

"Must be hard not having his father around."

She shrugged.

"Yes but life goes on…I didn't have my father while growing up and I still grew up. We can't control what happens before we're born or even after. We just have to keep living and make the best of it."

He listened to her and damn he felt torn…so many times he'd come close to spilling his deep dark secret but…Ava's words rang in his ears. He and his sister had spent so much time drafting their plan of action to be the dominating force in PC. Complications like this one made it tougher.

"That's a good adage to live by."

He'd do his best. It'd been fun playing a bit with Alexis in the room where he knew about their history together but she didn't…anything to give him an edge on another person. Only by the time he left the room, it seemed less than that or that maybe she had it not him, enough to put them on equal footing.

"Silas should be by pretty soon," Sam said, "to get this process going."

It couldn't happen soon enough for Derek. The irony of not knowing he had a grandson and then when he came face to face with him, the prospect of outliving him. No, he didn't want that, he wouldn't have that.

The best laid plans…

* * *

Ava just couldn't figure out why Silas had said some snide comments to her whenever he had the chance. They had a child together after all so that had to mean something.

She considered herself tough as nails, takes no prisoners though she thought the stories of her having ice for a heart were greatly exaggerated. She just didn't believe on wearing it on her sleeve thus making herself vulnerable to her enemies.

But she truly cared about Silas and at one time…he'd felt the same about her. She just knew it. But then she had her hands full in other areas. Like Julian announcing to her that he had a readymade family in town. If that wasn't bad enough, his daughter Sam was spending an awful lot of time with Silas.

She'd told Julian where he needed to keep his focus because they had so much work to do before they made their first major move. They were still moving a few key pieces into place, quietly before Sonny could get suspicious.

But then Sonny was busy what with hunting down A.J. to avenge Connie's murder. Ava had enjoyed that immensely.

With him caught up in mourning Connie that left him wide open. It'd be a crime not to take advantage of that.


	7. Chapter 7

Alexis hadn't seen Jerry Jacks in months except occasionally in her dreams. He'd been a man of many different aliases and who seemed to have more lives than a cat. His brother Jax had given up on him as being unredeemable in his evilness. But he'd certainly been a topic at water coolers all over PC. She had heard that Luke, Anna and others in the know had him on their radar. Did that mean that they were taking off after him or that he'd show up in town?

She hoped if he were still alive, he were on the other side of the planet not wanting to see or deal with the insane terrorist who had some twisted thing for her. She often wondered why it had to be her that was his object of desire but then she'd never had much luck with men. All they gave her were daughters. Not that she didn't love her girls and would do anything to protect them…but there had to be more to it than that…well not for her and not anymore. She'd sworn off men.

Look at her history for starters. Sonny, the mobster, Ric his brother who cheated on her twice including with her own daughter, Jerry the madman, Shawn…she couldn't figure out how she wound up with him and the former mayor who she couldn't even remember sleeping with at all. Then there had been the men in New York, even before she got to PC, the men at Yale which continued the list after…Julian.

Some faceless guy with a leather jacket who'd picked her up at a bar and took her to his car. The proverbial guy scoring with a different girl in the backseat probably every weekend.

"Mom…are they getting started yet?"

Alexis looked up at Molly who stood there with two lattes, handing one of them to her mother. She smiled at her.

"No…but they started getting Danny ready by helping his body get ready for his new bone marrow."

Molly sat next to her.

"So when's…Derek Wells coming back here?"

"In the morning. Silas wants to start bright and early with collecting it from him."

Molly tilted her face.

"Is it painful?"

"No…he'll be out while they do it and it shouldn't be too painful afterward. He'll be able to go home at the end of the day."

Molly digested that.

"It's good what he's doing…given that he doesn't know Danny or Sam or any of us."

Alexis sighed.

"I think he felt badly that the article he published wasn't on the front page."

Molly made a face.

"All that Q stuff…It's just boring. I mean I don't like how Kiki's treating Michael and Morgan…"

Alexis knew that though they weren't related, Molly had taken over Kristina's role of being protective of Michael.

"What do you mean?"

"Playing them off each other…and doesn't she know that Franco's evil?"

Alexis didn't answer that. She did understand the spells that evil men like Franco…and Jerry could weave on their marks and she knew that she'd been that to Jerry despite all his exposition. She'd been his mark that's all. But she'd used his twisted affection for her to get what she wanted too.

"Honey it might seem cut and dry on paper but in real life it can get…complicated."

She let it hang there not wanting to explain her own history to her middle daughter. Molly sipped her latte.

"It's too bad that Sam's father couldn't show up and donate his own marrow," she said, "I wonder what happened to him."

Alexis had wondered that too but speculation didn't do any good and it wouldn't help Danny at this point. He could be dead for all she knew or on the other side of the planet. For sure, he was completely unaware of her existence.

"He might not have been a match Molly."

"Still…you could still find him. How many men named Julian could there be?"

Alexis shrugged.

"Maybe it's a more common name than we think and it'd be sifting for a needle in a haystack. Okay maybe a smaller haystack but we can't think of him right now honey, we need to focus on what's going on with Danny."

* * *

Derek had left Ava and headed off to meet Carly for a tour of her hotel. She'd been raving about it over the phone but he thought he'd make it quick and then head over to GH to check on Danny…and family.

His family.

The one that he'd had for over 30 years that he hadn't known about at all as he'd been living his life, going to college, grad school, trying to fit into his father's shoes and then using his "death" to reinvent his life and return back to the battle over territory with a better plan. Him and Ava and some of his reinforcements who'd be arriving soon, quietly slipping into place while his adversaries remained unaware.

He knew that Carly had been a Corinthoes long before becoming a Jacks and that might be useful. He knew enough to know she might have designs on him as well, certainly to help promote her business. Sure enough Carly met him in the lobby wearing a black mini dress she could have pilfered off of Ava's collection.

"Hello Derek…welcome to the Metro Court," she said, "I've been overseeing the expansion since…an unfortunate incident."

Sonny had arrived muttering and pretty liquored up threatening to do himself in once again. God, he could be so dramatic, Carly thought after she ordered some maids to clean up a lot of broken china in the dining area.

He'd taken off after that and Carly figured his latest enabler, Olivia of the psychic visions would run off after him and try to pull him from the brink of self-destruction. Thank god, it was no longer her.

They walked through the glittering lobby past the gift shop where more damage from hurricane Sonny was being swept up. If Derek noticed, he didn't say anything, his eyes scanning over everything, not missing a detail like any businessman. Her blood raced and her skin prickled, she was on the hunt and every woman in PC better stand back and watch to see how it's done.

He sighed.

"I can't stay long. I have to head to GH for more medical tests."

She looked concerned.

"Tests? I hope it's nothing serious."

He shook his head.

"Not for me but for Danny…Danny Morgan. I'm his bone marrow donor."

Carly had heard something like that.

"Oh…that's certainly good news," she said, "The poor little boy…you know I was pretty close with his father Jason…Jason Morgan. We were best friends."

Derek digested that. He didn't know much about Danny's father or his daughter's husband and he hadn't pressed for details.

They continued past the elevator towards the kitchen.

"So you just happened to be…a match, what are the odds of that? I mean I remember reading in the paper that Dr. Clay said finding a match from a nonfamily member would be astronomical."

Derek smiled.

"I read that when I approved the article but astronomical doesn't mean impossible does it?"

She considered that.

"I guess not…well, this is the kitchen which was entirely rebuilt…twice after the fire and the terrorist attack…"

Derek shook his head realizing he still had to catch up on PC's rather colorful history since he'd last lived here. Ava had shared a bit of it but he was careful not to believe everything she'd said.

* * *

Sam had said good morning through her son who was behind a protective tent so he wouldn't risk catching anyone's illnesses or infections. He seemed happy enough, having gotten used to living in a hospital.

It made her sad to realize that but hopefully with the transplant process beginning tomorrow…she just had gone to the cafeteria after talking to Silas to get some breakfast. Not really hungry but needing her strength.

She didn't know how she felt about the quiet and enigmatic doctor. The kiss…well it had been spontaneous and unexpected. It had to be relief after he'd told her the transplant would go ahead. She'd never reached the point of feeling resigned that she'd lose Danny to the cancer always being hopeful, treating each new day as if it'd be the one that'd save his life.

Derek seemed willing to donate, even saying he'd been honored. She'd misread him a lot and judged him harshly. Not that she'd apologize for that being fiercely protective of her son, in part because she remained his only parent left but…after seeing him with Danny, she melted quite a bit. Something in his eyes…but no she was reading too much into things because she was so happy he'd offered to save her son.

Then walking on him and her mother, what had been going on there that she'd missed? She looked up and saw Patrick with a tray of food with his latest thing Sabrina with him. Sam knew how deeply he'd loved Robin, the whole town knew and yet he'd moved on with his life…finding love elsewhere. Yet his face looked strained, a few more creases and worry lines. Like her, he still wore his wedding ring and yet Sabrina didn't seem to notice or mind, the way she looped her arm in his when they were paying for their food.

Life did go on after tragedy interrupted it. Sam knew she'd have to move on with hers as well when she had a happy and healthy young boy to take home for good.


	8. Chapter 8

Mac poured Alexis another round of Scotch as they sat there talking at the Floating Rib. She'd come in a bit of a flutter over being nervous about the transplant the following morning. This time instead of downing the liquor she just looked at her glass.

The police commissioner turned bartender didn't push the issue but waited until she was ready to talk about it. There'd been some sparks between them but it'd just never happened, still they were really close friends.

Finally she looked up at him, absently flipping a strand of hair back as she did so. He'd considered her a beautiful woman who just didn't know it. Still what she said to him to break the silence, he didn't expect.

"Mac, what's it like being a father," she said, "given that Maxie and Georgie weren't yours…I mean they don't share your DNA."

He blinked his eyes. But the answer was real simple even though the circumstances had not ever been that way.

"It doesn't matter to me. I love them as if they're my own. I raised them because they needed parents."

She knew how he'd stepped in and been their sole parent all times Felicia's own immaturity led here to leave them while she took off somewhere. Until she realized that what she had been looking for all those years had been in front of her the whole time.

Sometimes it takes nearly a lifetime for people to wise up to what's important. God knows it'd taken her years. Her family that she built for herself might not be perfect but they were family.

"You've done a great job with them," she said, "You should be proud."

He sighed.

"I buried one of my daughters. That's something you never really get over. I'd like to think Frisco mourned her. I suppose he did in his own way."

Alexis hadn't disliked Frisco, she just hadn't liked the way he'd barely been there for his children. He'd sired Georgie during one of his infrequent visits to PC.

"Why do you ask?"

She glanced at him.

"I've been thinking a lot lately. I've got children with three different men and well, Kristina and Molly, they get to spend time with their fathers…but Sam she doesn't get that. I barely even knew his name much less anything else about him. What it must have been like to grow up without him…"

Matt smiled.

"She turned out just fine Alexis. Life doesn't always give us what we want or even what we need. But you two found each other bucking some serious odds and…now you have all your daughters together."

She considered that and knew he was right.

"I don't know why it matters so much. I grew up with a father who had to hide me from his own family. He shipped my little sister off not long after she was born. I spent most of my life in hiding and said goodbye to all of it…even my name."

Matt could only imagine what it must have been like growing up even on the fringes of a family like the Cassadines. Now the Scorpio clan, they were never that complicated. They worked out disputes with a handshake and a couple of beers whereas the Cassadines were always trying to kill one another off any time world domination was off the agenda.

"Anyway no need to talk about the past," she said, "Most of the Cassadines either dead, on ice or scattered to the far corners."

Mac knew that made the world and certainly PC a safer place. But he knew that talking about her family tree wasn't a favorite topic for her.

"So the transplant's a go for tomorrow?"

Alexis nodded.

"They'll be extracting Derek's bone marrow in the morning."

Mac shook his head.

"Who'd have thought that Derek Wells would wind up being the winning match?"

She nodded.

"I know it's strange…only a couple weeks ago, he tried to use those tired pickup lines on me…almost like…"

But she didn't finish. Her thoughts had been wandering quite a bit the past week or so especially about Derek but she chalked it up to stress over Danny's illness.

"I noticed…at least he turned out to be useful for something."

She smiled at him.

"He's really not that bad. Derek…"

His brows arched.

"Derek?"

She bristled just a little bit.

"Yes Derek…hey he can say or do anything he wants since he's saving my grandson's life."

Mac paused…there'd been something a little too smooth, too polished about the man who'd tried to hit up on Alexis.

"How much do you know about him?"

She sipped her drink shrugging.

"Not much…I did google him and he seems to have built himself a reputation in the publishing industry. Picked up the _PC Press_ for song."

"Connie was killed in his building. That can't be good for business to have one of your own employees get iced."

"I heard Sonny took it hard. I know Olivia did. I was there right after she had one of her…visions…"

Mac shook his head.

"I don't see A.J. doing it. Why kill her where she works?"

Alexis couldn't answer that. She'd been too busy with her daughter and grandson to pay attention to the crime wave in PC.

"Am I interrupting anything?"

She turned around to see Derek standing there. She hadn't even heard anyone coming into the bar.

"Uh…no…I'm just talking to Mac here."

The bartender folded his arms.

"I heard you're Danny's donor," he said, "For that I'll let you have a drink on me."

"That's not necessary…"

Mac wiped a glass looking straight at him.

"No problem…just got a new shipment in so I can cover it. So will you take a Scotch?"

Derek put a hand up.

"I'll take a club soda…not my usual. I'm staying away from alcohol for a while."

Mac nodded and went to pour him a glass with some lime. Alexis watched him hand it to Derek who was dressed in business attire with his shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

"So what brings you here?"

Derek sipped his drink.

"Do I need a reason?"

She shook her head.

"No…I thought you'd be working late on the next breaking article about Connie Falconi's murder."

He paused staring at his glass for a moment.

"Already done. No, I cut out early to rest up for the procedure tomorrow."

"I see…that makes sense."

"Have you eaten?"

She just looked at him, as if she heard him right.

"Eaten"

"Dinner because I haven't and I'll need some help picking off the menu."

Mac wiped the counter staring at him.

"Smooth bud, real smooth."'

Derek ignored him.

"I don't know…I should be heading out. I've got an early day myself tomorrow."

He nodded.

"So have you eaten?"

She brushed a strand of hair back off her face.

"Well no, but…"

He shrugged slightly or it looked like one. She couldn't tell exactly. Indecision didn't seem like a word in this man's vocabulary.

"So what would you pick off the menu?"

She shrugged back.

"Everything's good. Mac's been trying out new recipes."

He gestured to a table near the juke box.

"Help me out then and I'll buy you dinner."

She just looked at him, brow furrowing. Something about him…but no, he was just some guy who'd come to PC to buy up the town's only newspaper. She really should beg off dinner and walk on out of there but…

She nodded instead.

"Okay…maybe an appetizer but after that you're on your own because I do need to head back home."

He smiled.

"Let's get started with the appetizers."

She walked with him to the table as Mac watched shaking his head bemusedly.

* * *

Sam looked at Silas. She'd watched her son fall asleep beneath the plastic tent and told herself it'd be okay, he'd be home in his own bed soon.

The bed that had been unused for a couple months now with his stuffed animals waiting. Molly and Rafe had been by earlier and had brought her dinner. She smiled at the thought of having a younger sister who took care of _her_. A born manager that was Molly and Rafe seemed less surly than usual though he kept his distance from Silas.

"Long day tomorrow," Silas said, "though it'll take some four or five hours to get enough marrow out of Mr. Wells for the transplant."

She nodded silently.

"Then it gets processed and hopefully given to Danny...then we watch and hope it takes."

Sam nodded again, knowing there were still unknowns involved even though Derek had been a match and passed his tests with flying colors unlike Franco. But she felt hopeful.

"It will…I know it. It's strange."

Silas tilted his face.

"How so?"

She shrugged.

"This started as a search for my father. My mom, I knew it was hard on her and maybe I pushed too hard…but then she tried to remember more about him and the night…of my conception. After all that…I didn't need him to save my son's life."

Silas fell quiet.

"Derek will save my son's life and my father…will remain a stranger to me out there somewhere unaware of what's going on with his own grandson."

Silas touched Sam's shoulder and she turned her face to look at him.

"A part of me thinks he should at least know…but then that's foolish."

"No…it's natural since some of your son's DNA son came from him."

Sam sighed, feeling tired but also at peace. Everything was set to go, everything that could be controlled, nothing left to chance.

All they had to do was wait a few more hours until daybreak. The first day of the rest of her son's life.

* * *

Ava clicked her nails on the desk waiting for the phone call. It was about midnight and she had just finished eating dinner with Kiki and her new husband Morgan.

They seemed a bit icy and she knew that something had happened involving Morgan's half-brother Michael. God, what a nuisance he'd turned out to be, what with his intervening just when Sonny had been about to blow A.J. away in retaliation for Connie's marriage.

Two birds with one stone, Ava thought, and she wished she'd come up with that plan but in some ways she was a novice. Someone knew the canvas, and its players much better than she did.

In the middle of dinner, Kiki and Morgan had been bickering over something that made little sense to her. She eyed Morgan during dinner, believing him to be a prime example of male flesh…though a young man like that who only thought he knew everything would be putty in her hands whenever needed.

Attacking one's enemies meant coming at him from different angles, business, family and everything between.

She knew she had to be careful, with Carly for one thing. That harpy had a watchful eye on her almost anticipating trouble. She still had ties to Sonny as well.

Carly needed something to divert her attention away. Something like a brand new man as that had always been Carly's Achilles heel besides her children. But where to find one?

Franco? She curled her lip at that one. Then she thought of someone else and this time she smiled, picking up her glass of chardonnay and bringing it to her lips.

The plan was written, the stage was set and tomorrow…the beginning of a new glorious life in PC.


	9. Chapter 9

Alexis found herself warming to the guy in front of her. Not that she wanted that but it happened anyway. They ate an appetizer platter of cheese sticks and fried jalapenos dipped in sauce brought to them by Mac who kept a watchful eye on her.

She gathered that he didn't trust the newspaper publisher. Part of being an ex-cop and police commissioner, she assumed but Derek proved to be good company.

The food was delicious, the company more so.

She leaned on the table a bit and looked at him.

"So what brought you to town? I mean I know you bought _the Press_ but there's newspapers up for sale everywhere."

A loaded question, perhaps because people didn't just show up in PC without a reason. Not since she'd been living here.

He paused and appeared to be thinking about it. She continued talking, once she started sometimes it was just difficult to stop.

"I mean I'm glad that you chose to come to town rather than wind up in some place like Minneapolis or Santa Fe."

His brow furrowed.

"You are?"

She nodded.

"If you hadn't my grandson wouldn't be getting a transplant tomorrow."

He picked up a burnt potato wedge sampling that.

"Of course….There's also plenty of business opportunities out here besides publishing. It's a good time to invest in PC what with the recession a memory. I was approached by someone to do some marketing for her business."

She nodded, sipping her drink.

"That seems interesting. Who? Don't tell me one of the Quartermaines."

He leaned back in his chair.

"Carly Jacks."

Alexis managed not to roll her eyes as she reached for a fried jalapeno.

"Oh…"

"Oh? So you two know each other?"

She smiled, among the options available to her she choose diplomacy.

"You could say that. Our paths cross occasionally. We mix like oil or water…no more like fire and gasoline."

He seemed to watch her carefully.

"They can mix very well in the right circumstances…"

She chuckled.

"Believe me it's not the right circumstances. We just keep to our separate corners when possible. But I have to say she does keep the Metro Court afloat…since Jax, her ex left town."

"It certainly looks impressive."

Alexis tilted her face and a strand of hair fell across it.

"Well, Carly's very…convincing when she wants to sell something so you'll probably be roped in pretty quickly."

He frowned, lines creasing his face.

"I don't convince easily. Though with some things, I like what I've seen so far."

She furrowed her brow, watching him smile at the last part of it.

"I see…"

He leaned forward slightly.

"Do you?"

Now she did, and it was starting to grow a bit warm in the room. Mac walked over and refreshed Derek's lime water. He shot Derek a look before heading back to the bar.

"I don't think he likes me."

Alexis shook her head.

"Oh that's just Mac. He's one of my closest friends…"

"And very protective I can see. I'll have to keep that in mind."

Alexis looked at him, seeing a very handsome man clearly flirting with her, the man who'd save her grandson's life. Yet…something about him…it seemed so natural to sit here with him and yet she felt off balance not her favorite place to be.

Being in that position often had deadly consequences.

* * *

Carly listened to Liz wax on about A.J. who was now sitting in jail awaiting formal murder charges to be filed against him and then an arraignment in front of a judge. She didn't harbor much feeling for the woman in front of her who had been another in a line of women so wrong for Jason…but she had passed along some words of warning about the father of her oldest child.

Not that Liz had listened because she still seemed hung up on the loser. God, the woman was just pathetic.

"He's sitting in that cell all by himself," Liz said, "I know that Diane's going to do all she can for him."

Carly sighed, boredom sinking in.

"Liz…A.J. is a train wreck with a few sober episodes in between but they never last. You're better off just cutting him out of your life."

Liz bit her lip.

"I…I just can't," she said, "I know there's good in him. I must have done…said something to make him say those cruel things."

Carly wanted to throw up her arms at Liz's codependent streak in action once again. She realized not every woman could be like her. Not everything could have their life totally figured out and on track, not everyone could have any man she wanted.

Not everyone could be her. But hopefully they'd have a sharper toolbox than the woman standing in front of her.

"Just keeping that Liz and you'll wind up in the gutter next to him," she said, "I don't care what you do but I do believe that men like A.J. should come with a warning label. So consider this your warning."

Liz raised her chin to Carly.

"I don't think he killed Connie but the police aren't looking at other suspects."

Carly sighed.

"You don't know A.J. like I do or as well as you think. Nothing he did would surprise me."

She really wished Liz would just go away. She despised women who were weak not to mention what Liz had done to her BBF Jason.

"No…I know he's innocent. I'm going to help him whatever way I can to get him out of jail."

Carly doubted it. If Diane couldn't get A.J. released, then it wasn't happening. But that wasn't her problem, pushing her business to new heights was her focus now.

That and finding herself a new man to light her fire. She had him in her sights.

* * *

Ava rummaged through Connie's desk at the deserted office. Derek had taken off early to rest up before his surgery tomorrow. God he was really going to go through with it, he was really going to donate bone marrow to Danny Morgan.

She'd been shocked when he'd spilled the info about his recently discovered family not because her brother didn't get around but because of all the contingencies they've discussed that one just never had come up.

It didn't matter because she told him they had to stick to their game plan and he'd do it. If he saved a child's life that was fine (as she had her extracurricular hobbies too) as long as he remembered why he was here.

Not much was there to interest Ava in the office one dead magazine editor so she decided to move down to the morgue of the newspaper to research this Samantha Morgan and dig up more information about her not to mention her dead husband.

She was putting together dossiers on all the players including all their enemies in both the Corinthos and Quartermaine clans.


	10. Chapter 10

_The two of them were together on a boat. One of them preparing for it to glide away across the harbor, the other hoping for a means to get away from him. _

_She knew the others would keep looking for her no matter what but it was up for her to stay alive. Her daughters would be safe, the townspeople would get the life-saving serum. She'd traded her freedom for the lives of those she loved as well as innocent strangers, caught unwittingly in the plan of a madman. _

_Jerry had this twisted relationship he called love but the unrepentant sociopath didn't know the meaning of the word. _

"_Five minutes we'll be out of the harbor and on our way," he said, "How does South America sound?"_

_She stared at him, her wrists tied to some pole. _

"_I didn't pack for the tropics."_

_He smiled still holding his gun as he prepared to leave her inside the boat._

"_Don't worry we can pick up some things along the way…"_

_She thought he was mad just for saying that, acting as if they were tourists going shopping before heading on a vacation. A dragnet would be after them led by Sonny and Jax. _

_They'd find her before…she thought as she watched Jerry walk away from her gun in hand to go find them._

* * *

Alex jolted awake and found herself napping in the cramped chair in the waiting room of the hospital. She blinked her eyes and looked around to see Molly sitting next to her looking at her iPod. Rafe had been there but must have left.

"Did I miss anything?"

Molly didn't look at her mother.

"Sam's with Danny. He's doing okay and the doctor's coming to see him soon," she said, "I haven't seen Derek Wells yet."

Alexis stretched her arms a bit feeling a bit sore from sleeping in the chair. She'd gotten home from the Floating Rib last night after Derek had walked her to her car.

"Oh honey he wouldn't be here yet," she said, "He's got to spend some time in the office and he'll be here before noon."

Molly frowned.

"I'm reading the _Press _online. There's an article about Jerry since it's been a year since…he poisoned all the water."

Alexis remembered that all too well but she hadn't been keeping track of how much time had passed. Jerry had died but his body hadn't ever been found. But he couldn't have survived the barrage of bullets, not to mention the explosions.

The man was psychotic but he wasn't immortal.

"Why would they write about such a dreadful thing?"

Molly glanced up at her.

"It affected the whole town…it affected us."

Alexis sighed.

"I know honey…but he can't hurt anyone anymore."

She'd stopped him from harming her girls and the rest of the townspeople. But it had been Sonny, Jax, Shawn and John McBain and others who had taken out his pack of shooters at the marina.

"I know mom. They just published an insert of photos and interviewed some witnesses at the dock," she said, "Since no one involved wanted to talk about it."

Alexis pushed a tendril of hair out of herself.

"For good reason Molly, it was traumatic for quite a few people…and Johnny got shot and nearly died. It was hard on Jax because of what his brother did."

"He kidnapped you to take with him…"

Alexis nodded.

"But he didn't get away with it," she said, "and he's dead now. He'll never hurt anyone ever again."

Jerry was gone off the earth forever, but he still came to life in her dreams.

* * *

Sam looked up at Silas who'd walked in smiling at her for a change.

"It's a go later tomorrow morning," he said, "We're collected the marrow from the donor today."

She nodded.

"Is he here yet?"

Silas shook his head.

"He'll be here in a couple hours," he said, "and we'll get him started.

Sam was excited by that news and still couldn't get over the fact that Derek had been willing to step in and save Danny's life. Silas seemed happy too and she liked seeing him like that. He'd been more than a doctor to her son, he'd been a friend to her, a source of comfort.

He'd been a rock for her.

She'd wish Jason could do that for her but he was gone. Nothing would bring him back and she knew if she was here, he'd fight hard for his son's life. Sometimes she sensed him there with her when she'd been at her lowest.

"You had anything to eat?"

She looked at Silas and shook her head.

"I haven't either and it's going to be a long day," he said, "We'll both need our strength."

She nodded as she got up to go with him, knowing that to be the truth.

* * *

Julian had been perusing the articles he'd pulled from the newspaper morgue tucked away in the basement. They were on microfiche which seemed antiquated these days but then the Press hadn't entered the digital era yet.

His staff had gotten smaller what with Connie being iced in his building which spooked some of the other writers. He needed to find more to replace anyone who quit. Purchasing the newspaper was a cornerstone in his plan for retaking PC alongside his sister. After all, what better way to do that than control the press which could shape the perceptions of the Jeromes' arrival and presence in town? He noticed that Molly had put in for one of the internship positions and he thought about giving it to her. She was Sam's half-sister which made her Alexis' daughter through a relationship or marriage to another man obviously.

But she seemed to be a naturally curious type who'd nearly overheard him say much more than not being able to let anyone know who he really was. It'd been close and he thought his almost truth had been enough to convince her and Rafe but you could never tell.

Still he was tempted. She looked a lot like her mother…

"I thought you'd be at the hospital getting the marrow sucked right out of you."

He glanced up from his desk and saw Ava sashay right in wearing a white dress.

"What do I owe this pleasure?"

She smiled at him, sitting down in a chair next to his desk.

"I was thinking of having Kiki spend some time here with you. She really needs to have a career or a hobby as a distraction."

He smirked at her.

"To keep her busy while you move in on her husband," he said, "I don't know if I can do that."

She snarled.

"I'm not interested in Morgan…not really. I want my daughter to create a future for herself so she'll stay away from…Michael."

Julian sighed.

"If she can work in circulation," he said, "then she can work here."

Ava nodded and then glanced down at the articles on his screen.

"Ah Jerry Jacks, now there's a scandalous page out of PC's history."

He'd been perusing the pages that flashed on his screen of the tale of the madman who'd poisoned the city's water supply then wanted to collect a ransom. It'd all resulted in a shoot off at the marina between Jerry and his men and an alliance of police officers and Sonny's right hand man Shawn Butler.

Jerry had wound up shot to death but nobody recovered and the town's people had been cured of the toxin through the antidote. There'd been booby-trapped briefcases and some casualties including a man named Johnny Zacchara, a member of a well-known mobster family. He'd been teaming up with both Jerry's brother, Jax and Sonny Corinthos.

There'd been a hostage in the mix too. A woman who had some ties to Jerry who the tag team of PCPD officers and Sonny's mafia troops had been desperate to save. Not much about her in the microfiche on his screen.

"I need to read more," he said, "for the second part of the retrospective."

Ava sighed.

"Why publish it? It wound up making Corinthos look like a hero. Is that the image of him you want selling newspapers?"

Julian paused.

"It's just a look at the crisis a year later," he said, "That's all. I just want it complete. We know Jerry's dead and gone. Jax is not in town and Sonny and his lieutenant Butler have moved on from that. They were lauded by the mayor for saving the people of this city."

Ava looked at the screen.

"Maybe you better ask that one night stand of yours what she knows about it."

He glanced up at her, his eyes widening a bit.

"What are you talking about?"

Ava pressed her lips together noticing she'd gotten his attention.

"On the screen in the photo on the lower right hand corner…"

Julian followed his eye and saw the woman the photo.

"I'll be damned…."


	11. Chapter 11

Julian woke up inside a hospital room, with a sore throat and some aching in his lower back. Obviously missing some of his bone marrow. How much time had passed, he didn't know. Silas had told him it'd take three to four hours to extract enough of it to transplant into little Danny.

His grandson. Damn, if he hadn't seen that one coming at all. He'd shown up in PC after 25 years to retake what had belonged to his family. Only to find that his family had gotten larger. He had a daughter who'd grown into an adult, who was raising a son without his father.

Then there'd been his daughter's mother. A beautiful woman who'd been a teenager when she'd wound up with him in the backseat of his car outside a bar in New Hampshire. She obviously hadn't recognized him so far and that had given him an edge. He'd learned growing up a Jerome that everybody sought an edge over everyone else.

Brother against Brother. Brother against sister. Not to mention their father. He'd grown up differently from his siblings as Victor had tried to shield him from the uglier side of his business. Not that it'd done much good, the pull to involve himself in it had been too strong.

He'd needed to come back to reclaim the turf that had belonged to his father and his organization. Ava and he had spent many hours over months and years planning and plotting it down to a letter.

But he hadn't done his homework well enough to anticipate every contingency and now a huge one had popped up. Saving his grandson's life hadn't been an option and he'd found himself wanting to tell Alexis…and Sam the truth.

He'd come close, perilously close and gotten interrupted. Maybe that was providence intervening on impulsive foolishness.

Wooziness filled him when he tried to move. He didn't want to stay in a hospital bed and Silas had told him he'd be released at the end of the day if he recovered quickly enough. Oh don't worry about that, he had no intentions of staying in the hospital twirling his thumbs overnight.

A nurse walked in with long dark hair, smiling at him as she checked his IV.

"Feeling better Mr. Wells?"

He glanced up at her and nodded.

"When can I get out of here?"

She smiled.

"Later this evening…still need to get some more fluid in you. You'll feel weaker for several days but your marrow should be back to normal in about three weeks."

"That's good…how's Danny?"

She fiddled with the IV.

"He's going to get the marrow tomorrow after it's been prepared for him. It's a perfect match so it should work. We won't know for a while yet."

He nodded again.

"Thanks…"

"He's a strong little boy," she said, "Well if you need anything Mr. Wells, push the button. My name's Sabrina and I'm on duty for a couple more hours."

He nodded as she walked out the room, already planning his getaway from this place.

* * *

Alexis and Sam waited in the room where Danny lay asleep in his isolation tent. Sam hoped that the days he'd have to spend in it would soon come to an end but Silas warned her it would depend on how quickly his body responded to the new marrow to replace the diseased marrow killed off by the chemotherapy.

Nikolas had been by earlier to check on them as had Mac and Felicia when they'd been visiting Maxie who apparently was caught in the throes of postpartum depression. Alexis could only imagine…no she knew what it was like to carry a baby for nine months and then have to give her up. She didn't know if it was different for an unrelated surrogate but well…there were some areas in a woman's life that she'd kept locked away for so long, sometimes they felt out of reach.

It'd been like with the night she'd conceived her daughter in the back seat of a car with a young man she never saw again.

Still with people like Mac and Felicia in her corner, Maxie'd get through it. She'd never ever forget but she'd learn to live with it.

"They should be done with Derek soon," Sam said, "then after the chemo, they'll give Danny his marrow and that's when the waiting will really begin."

Alexis knew that but it'd be a better kind of waiting…one with definitive hope attached that they'd be taking the little boy out of there and home soon.

They'd been spending too much time in hospitals lately. Eating bad food, napping in cramped chairs and waiting for the outcome of so many tests and treatments. Alexis saw the dark circles under her daughter's eyes and the worry lines on her face. Hopefully, she'd be able to smile soon and then laugh, resembling the young woman who she'd been a few months ago.

Watching Sam with Danny had brought joy to her as she'd been excited to be a grandmother and yet…sometimes it brought her sadness laced with the happiness because she'd never been able to hold her eldest like that.

Kristina and Molly yes, and she'd savored those experiences in part because she'd been able to share them with Sam. She felt with her two other daughters she'd won a hard-won victory against Helena who'd been instrumental in taking so many people away from her.

Her mother. Her sister. Her firstborn child.

For years she'd almost forgotten she'd given birth at 16 to a little girl with dark hair and eyes that didn't belong to her mother. Maybe that'd been a gift from her father but Alexis couldn't remember enough of him to know.

She still didn't but she supposed it didn't matter much. Her daughter had a new hero and she supposed she did too.

"Alexis…"

She looked up to see Mac walking towards her. She got up and embraced him tightly. How could a woman not feel safe in his arms? That would never change even though they hadn't gotten together, a blessing considering his true love Felicia had returned.

"Hi Mac…how's Maxie doing?"

He sighed releasing her. Concern etched on his face.

"Felicia's with her now. She's still upset. The doctor says it might be postpartum depression."

She stroked his arm looking up at his face.

"If that's true, it's treatable…what she's going through. It's really tough."

"I know…say I heard Danny's getting his marrow soon from Derek…"

Alexis nodded.

"Derek Wells…Yeah he had it extracted. I think they just finished and he's out of recovery."

"That's great. So how you holding up?"

She walked away from her chair with him, tired of sitting down.

"I'm fine really…Sam's a lot happier than she's been and I think even Dr. Clay's happier than I've seen him."

"But what about you?"

She bit her lip thoughtfully.

"It's strange Mac. I never thought the donor drive would work…I worked hard at it with Sam but I thought when Franco didn't work out we were dead in the water. If we couldn't find a family member…"

"You mean Sam's father?"

She furrowed her brow.

"All that effort I made, trying to remember something, anything about him…then the hypnosis with Kevin and it didn't matter. Not that I'm not happy with how things turned out…but sometimes…I haven't been able to stop thinking what if…"

"What if he did turn up to be tested?"

She paused and then shook her head.

"I don't know what I was thinking Mac. But it doesn't matter because Derek's perfect. He's got the right DNA and the right attitude with his willingness to share it. He and Sam…they get along well too almost as if…"

"What?"

"As if he were meant to come to PC…I know there's other reasons for that but come here and find us and save my grandson's life."

She threw up her hands.

"I mean what were the odds, 1 in 50,000?"

Mac smiled.

"Maybe you're right but whatever…Danny's going to benefit from it."

"I know. I know. I guess it's not unexpected to be thinking about Sam's father since for the first time since…I tried to remember him…"

Mac rested his hand on her shoulder and she smiled at him.

"I don't know why I'm saying this," she said, "Even if he's out there somewhere it's not likely he remembers me anymore than I do him…he's probably got family of his own like I do."

"Probably…Alexis you don't need him. You did really well, you have three incredible daughters who take after their mother…"

She nodded.

"I do and you're right. Besides, it was for the best…that we never saw each other again…me being a Cassadine…where being illegitimate can greatly shorten your lifespan…look what happened to my mother… "

He rubbed her shoulder not knowing what to say. Sometimes words weren't enough.

"Sometimes it's best not to remember…"

He hugged her then even though she didn't ask and she leaned her head against his sturdy chest.

Yeah, sometimes it was necessary to forget.

* * *

Carly heard on the news that A.J. had finally been charged with murder and she wasn't surprised in the least. She knew the score about everyone in this town, certainly every man she'd ever slept with. She shut off the radio and picked up her phone.

She saw the messages on it and erased most of them. Seriously this was all a waste of her time. One of them made her look twice.

Michael.

She knew he was upset about A.J. his loser of a father being arrested for Connie's murder. But he had to learn on his own the truth about his biological father. God, her sons were giving her hives right now. Morgan coming back all rebellious and getting the crap kicked out of him over gambling debts before marrying that hussy Kiki what's her name and moving in with her whacked out mother Ava into the Q mansion.

Rent free apparently. Carly wondered when Tracy would put a stop to that and kick them all out onto the street or at least to the carriage house.

Oh great, that meant they'd show up at her house no doubt. Even though she'd shipped her daughter off to her father that didn't mean she wanted a full house. Morgan and Kiki what's her name would just have to get their own place.

Because what if Carly decided to bring a man home? She didn't want to be the oldest woman in the house.

She turned the car into the GH parking lot already on the prowl.


	12. Chapter 12

_Earlier…1979_

_Alexis watched as her roommate packed her suitcases to leave the campus of __Briarton Griggs Academy__ to head on home for the Thanksgiving holidays. She sat at her desk organizing her notebooks and papers preparing to study for finals over the break and start working on her big term paper for Russian history. _

_Not that she needed much help in that class. Her cousin back home in Greece, Stefan had helped her study up on what was part of their familial history. But her midterm grades had dipped a bit so she wanted to spend the next few days catching up so she'd her straight As before fall term ended. _

_It's not like she had any place to go for Thanksgiving anyway. It was too short a vacation to head back to the Cassadine estate, not that she felt bothered by that. _

_More like relieved. Aside from Stefan, she'd miss no one there. She resided with some aunt or cousin she was never quite sure in their convoluted family tree. Mikkos was busy with his family business whatever that was, quite secretive to most of the family. _

_Helena the witch, Alexis had always been scared of her since…since well before she could remember. Stavros was much older and bullied her every chance he'd gotten. Then there were her uncles who she saw only in passing, Tony and Victor who barely noticed anyone besides their parents. _

_No, she most definitely didn't want to go back home to the Cassadine Island. _

"_Alexis…"_

_She looked from her desk to see Carla looking at her from where she was packing._

"_What…?"_

"_You sure you're going to be all right? You can come and stay with my folks…"_

_Alexis considered it. It might be nice to spend a few days among a normal family doing normal things. She really didn't know what families did for Thanksgiving except that they'd sit around tables and eat a lot of food. The women cooked and the men watched football, she couldn't imagine that. But…she had to stay here and study. She'd fallen behind, since she hadn't been able to study late at night the past several weeks…she'd been tired, more tired than she'd ever felt. _

"_No thanks Carla but I have to stay here. I've got so much studying to do…"_

_Carla put a hand on her hip. _

"_You feeling all right? Cause I notice you haven't been eating much lately. Coming down with something?"_

_Alexis shook her head. _

"_No…just stressed out over those last midterms. That's all."_

_Carla shrugged. _

"_Okay…but try to have some fun…all that studying, it'll wear you out even more."_

_Alexis watched as her roommate packed up and left the dorm room before leaving her desk to curl up on her bed, wrapping her arms around a pillow. She felt better than she had this morning but still…she must have just been studying too hard allowing herself to feel rundown. _

_She was a good student, who studied hard. Her father rarely paid attention to her but he did praise her when she did well in her classes. There'd been that one night not long after the term had started…just to know what it was like to be someone else. _

_Someone not a Cassadine. That wasn't her last name but she knew somehow…she was one. So she'd done what the other girls had done. What Carla had dared her to do. Dressed up to avoid getting carded in the bar and there, she'd drunk some vodka and met a good looking guy. _

_She'd enjoyed it, not being Alexis, the girl who lived on an Island where she felt almost hidden away from view. _

_Not that she ever ventured to the bar again. She'd had enough adventure to last her for a while. Beside she had been lucky enough to not get caught, busted for sneaking out and violating curfew. _

_She might not be so lucky next time and if her father found out…_

* * *

Julian hated the damn hospital gown they'd given him to wear. That went without saying. He didn't like hospitals and preferred to stay away from them though that wasn't always possible. But saving the life of his grandson…absolutely his first priority. So when Silas had told him to go to admissions and have an attractive nurse help him, he'd gone there.

Alexis had wanted to walk him out and that was perfectly fine with him. He'd enjoyed spending time with her including dinner at the Floating Rib. He'd coaxed her course by course to move from appetizers all the way to dessert…just making his cutoff of midnight. She'd loosened up a bit by then but the woman had a lot of defenses…he found himself wondering what made her that way.

But then she'd been looking at him in the hallway and he called her on it. He knew she'd seen him when he'd been hugging his daughter. That had been so different than he'd ever imagined…being a father…wasn't on his list of things to do in PC.

Being a grandfather and holding Danny had been…but he couldn't think that way. He had work to do, a promise to fulfill, a family's honor to regain and restore.

He knew he'd have to get up and find his clothes around here somewhere. Unless he planned on walking down the hallways of GH in this damn gown.

No, he would find his clothes first. He extricated himself from the hospital bed and went to find them.

* * *

Alexis ran into Carly in the hallway by the nurse's station. She'd left Sam to go check in with Olivia who'd left a message on her phone. The woman was a wreck no doubt about it and Alexis couldn't blame her. But she had no idea where Sonny had disappeared off to…if he had told anyone it certainly hadn't been her.

"Alexis…"

She looked up at the woman approaching her.

"Carly…what brings you here?"

The other woman smirked.

"I'm here to see Danny…and Sam."

Alexis tilted her head.

"Really…"

Carly tossed her hair back.

"Yes really…believe it or not I do care about Jason's son. He was my best friend…"

Alexis sighed.

"Yeah right I remember you saying that quite a few times," she said, "Well it's a nice…gesture. Sam's with him right now. He'll be getting some chemo which will make him sicker for a while until the marrow transplant takes hold."

Carly smiled.

"Ah yes…you know it feels like déjà vu since you went through this with poor Kristina..."

Alexis folded her arm.

"It must be the Cassadine curse. But Danny will be like his aunt, he'll do just fine."

Carly clucked her mouth.

"I hope it does work out," she said, "by the way how's Derek Wells doing?"

"Doing…?"

"You know the donor," Carly said, "I think it's incredibly generous of a perfect stranger to help save a little boy's life don't you think?"

"Yes it is…but he's more than happy to do that. Some people are just like that Carly."

Carly smiled.

"I hope he gets out of here soon because he's helping me with the Metro Court…the marketing campaign."

"That's nice…well I have to be going now," Alexis said, "I've got to go check on my cat…"

She walked away leaving Carly there in a state of confusion. She didn't know Alexis even had a cat.

* * *

Julian had found his clothes finally and was getting dressed to get on out of there. Ava had texted him several times on his phone which was with his clothes. He wouldn't rush off to meet with her, he'd check in on the family first, to make sure everything was fine before heading on out.

His phone rang. He glanced at it.

Ava.

He sighed answering it.

"Why are you calling me now?"

Her voice purred. She must be in a contemplative mood.

"Nice to talk to you too Julian. Once you're done doing your charitable deed for your…grandson…"

She sounded as if she found the whole thing distasteful. He cut to the chase.

"Ava what do you want?"

"I want us to get started on our plan," she said, "I told you not to get sidetracked by Sam and her baby. You're here…we're here to get the job done. Not to get sidetracked."

"I'm aware of that…listen I got to go. But I don't need any lectures from you on not letting recently discovered family get in the way."

She bristled at that.

"See you later. I'm finishing up the dossiers. I think you should read them."

"I will do that when I'm finished here."

"By the way has Alexis Davis remembered any details of your night together…or is she still in the dark?"

"Goodbye Ava."

He clicked off his phone and then started getting dressed, not realizing that the door was opening…


	13. Chapter 13

Alexis hadn't been thinking when she opened the door into the exam room. Certainly not remembering to knock first and then open the door. But the nurse had told her that they needed him to do his forms over again due to his messy handwriting.

Time was of the essence so they could take the bone marrow sample out of Derek to save little Danny's life. That's what she told herself when she volunteered to do the nurse's job for her. It had nothing to do with feeling drawn to seeing him again.

No not at all.

She frowned to herself. Something wasn't right with the man…she noticed that when she caught him hugging Sam. The jolt of seeing a handsome and charming man attracted to her daughter…no that fled quickly because the way he cradled her head, it was almost like…what was it like.

It'd stopped her in her tracks right there and she couldn't stop looking at him, something deep inside of her from some place she'd long forgotten nagged at her.

Sam hadn't grown up with a father loved her only one who used her in his cons. But then Alexis hadn't had a father either. Mikkos she barely saw and besides he'd died not that long after Samantha would have been one years old.

But she'd seen the way that Mac had held onto his daughter Maxie in the hospital corridor the other day when she'd been wandering around in a daze when she was supposed to be in bed. The way Sonny embraced Kristina every time he saw his little girl or when she left him.

A father holding his daughter. Alexis didn't know what that was like except for watching it take place from outside of it.

Now, Derek and Sam, when they thought they were the ones there…

She'd shaken it off thinking maybe it was wishful thinking that she'd been able to give Sam her daddy. The one thing she'd never be able to give her eldest daughter.

It was time for Derek to do his donation and she'd offer to see him to the exam room. He'd seemed happy about that and she watched there while he texted on his phone. He looked up at her and asked her why she stared at him.

Alexis wasn't used to men asking. She stammered and hated doing that, a habit that she'd never been able to shake as much as she wanted.

She'd asked him if they'd met before and he acted put out saying that they'd met at the Floating Rib but she said no, that wasn't it.

Something changed in his face, when she said that for a moment and then he made some flippant comment about not having enough time to play 20 Questions having a boy to save.

Of course, she said, everything else is secondary. She expected him to agree but…he just reminded her that she was going to accompany him to the exam room.

So she'd done that and they managed to find it, leaving him in good hands with the nurse.

Until she had agreed to drop in on him to get him to redo some paperwork. It looked like a lively day today. One of the lab techs who passed her in the hallway actually wore a shiner.

While perusing the forms, she thought Derek wasn't the only one with messy handwriting in the world.

The nurse should read some of the legal briefs that Alexis had to face on a daily basis working for Sonny, then she'd stop complaining and just file away Derek's paperwork. But she'd taken the papers out of the nurse's hand and went to see if Derek was still where she'd left him.

That's what she was saying to herself when she opened the door to see if Derek was there and…

Oh my God.

He was there all right standing right in front of her. Only something was missing like his clothes. Well almost all of them save his briefs. Damn he was fine looking more than that…

Her throat went dry and she lost her words as she took in the sheer masculinity of the man in front of her. They just didn't make them like that very often.

"I…paperwork…do over…"

She turned around hoping that he'd do what most men would do in that situation and put some clothes on. No he shouldn't put clothes on because what she just saw…

But he wasn't most men and no he didn't reach for clothing. He just stood there looking back at her clearly amused at her antics.

That didn't please her. Nor did him asking her to do his paperwork for him while he was changing into his gown. What was she, his damn secretary? No, he was more than capable of doing his own paperwork.

"Aren't you going to wish me luck?"

She dropped the damn paperwork behind her then. Let him do it, she was out of here. It was getting way too warm in here.

That could be dangerous. That thought hit her out of nowhere, strong enough to make her leave.

* * *

Carly saw Alexis leave the exam room in a hurry but paid her no mind because she'd heard that Franco had turned up missing. She'd gone up to where Sabrina stood behind the desk, clicking her fingernails impatiently on the table.

"So what happened to Franco?"

Sabrina looked it up in the computer.

"He's not here. He must have checked himself out."

Carly put a hand on her hip.

"How is that even possible? He's barely able to walk. Then again…it's Franco."

She turned away from an apologetic Sabrina, the foolish nurse who was chasing after Patrick all lovelorn when the doctor still wore his wedding ring. Carly knew all about lost causes.

Turning around she saw an orderly pushing Derek in a wheel chair dressed in a gown. He didn't look too comfortable and as if his mind were elsewhere.

She wondered what he was up to, really. He'd expressed interested in helping her with marketing for the Metro Court through his company. But he had just breezed into town and took over the publishing company once run by Todd Manning and now…of all things…donating bone marrow to Jason's little boy like some random act of kindness.

Still she wanted to get to know him better. She needed a respite from her two sons tangled up over the same ditzy girl with her mother, seeming to be just too interested in her youngest son.

She smiled at Derek as the nurse wheeled him by.

"So you're off to do your charitable deed?"

He glanced at her.

"It's a little boy's life."

She flipped a strand of hair back.

"I know…but you seem awfully interested in this particular little boy."

He sighed.

"I'm the match for him," he said, "and I wanted to my part to give him another chance."

She appeared to digest that.

"I'd be careful though…I mean I knew Danny's father and well…Sam…she had him wrapped around her finger. Anything she wanted, she got…and Jason…he…it cost him."

Derek narrowed his eyes.

"Is there a point to all this?"

Carly pursed her lips.

"Well…she comes off as sweet but…"

Then some footsteps behind the both of them. Carly turned around and saw Alexis standing there with her arms crossed.

"Alexis…"

"That's right. Excuse me Mr. Wells…"

He watched her carefully.

"It's Derek…"

"Yeah Derek…look Carly my daughter has been through hell the past year with everything that's happened. When he died…you lost someone who's your best friend when it's convenient, she lost her husband and the father of her child."

Carly snarled.

"She wasn't his first choice."

Alexis took one step closer.

"She was his only choice. You know it. I didn't always understand it myself for a long time…but I do now. She's grieved that and had to deal with their son having cancer. Now back off…"

Carly folded her arms.

"Or what…"

"You know what…remember where I come from…and what I told you last time."

Carly fell silent. Derek looked from one woman to the other. The woman flustered inside the exam room had been replaced by a mother protecting her child. She smiled at him.

"Excuse me I'm done here," she said, "Good luck with your procedure…Derek."

She walked away from the both of them back to where Sam was waiting. Carly just shook her head.

"She's always been this side of crazy…"

Derek smiled though not with his eyes.

"Sounds like she's given you advice that you should take," he said, "You know what they say about a mother and her child. Nothing crazy about that."

Carly just stared at him before they wheeled him to the room to begin the medical procedure.


	14. Chapter 14

Julian had felt like he'd been taken through the ringer as they'd wanted to make sure they'd taken enough marrow out of him along with some special type of cells to transplant into Danny.

Anything for his grandson and Silas told him he'd be back to normal in several weeks. Just in time to launch his preemptive strike against Sonny and his operation. His newspaper had ran a story about how Sonny had been devastated by Connie's murder and had gone on a rampage waving a gun and screaming at A.J. Quartermaine who now sat inside a jail cell facing murder charges.

He sipped his juice which he'd been advised to drink. Whoever had killed Connie…he knew it couldn't be A.J. had neutralized one of the players at ELQ. That helped their cause though it didn't help Connie that she'd been shot to death inside one of his offices.

The police said that she'd died soon after getting shot and that Sonny Corinthos had shown up followed by Olivia and Alexis who'd driven her over there after she'd freaked out at GH.

His phone rang and he answered it. He'd hoped it'd be news on whether or not Danny would be receiving the marrow transplant. The chemo had wiped out all the cancerous cells but left him vulnerable to infections.

A very dangerous times for the little boy.

He'd go to the hospital later today to check in on his family. Ava might have convinced him not to reveal his identity but she couldn't stop him from spending time with them as a friend. He'd promised that to Sam and Danny.

"So you running the story on the Falconi murder," he said, "and A.J. Quartermaine's arraignment? First page….by the time we go to press tonight…"

Ava sashayed into the office while he was on the phone. She'd been so relieved to leave the mansion what with her daughter acting like the drama queen and her husband looking so delicious coming out of the shower wrapped up in a towel.

She liked them young nothing wrong with that. Yes, she was planning along with her brother and the others to take over PC but that didn't mean she couldn't have her…diversions as well.

"Well the police still believe that A.J. Quartermaine killed Connie…"

He glanced at Ava who smiled at him.

"No…I think the Franco story needs to go after the obits."

Ava paced the floor waiting impatiently.

"I need you to check you into rumors that Jerry Jacks is still alive…picked up some intel from a source that Luke Spencer's looking for him somewhere on the other side of the world."

Ava rolled her eyes. She knew that some people never stayed dead but her brother didn't need to go off track looking for a Lazarus who had nothing to do with their strategy and its success. With reinforcements coming in soon…oh, the glee that filled her right now when the others started moving into position.

Finally he got off the phone and looked at her.

"Ah, sis to what do I owe this pleasure?"

She sat down in a chair opposite of him.

"What's this about helping Carly with the Metro Court? You know she's got ties to Sonny. Big ties."

He leaned back in his chair.

"Of course I know that but the hotel's pivotal to the plan. By the time we have controlling interest."

Ava's eyes lit up and she smiled.

"I see….that'll work. Oh, I can't wait until we get started. We've been waiting so long…"

Julian just looked at his sister knowing she'd wanted it much longer than he did. She'd bristled when their father had been alive way back when the men had run everything that was interesting.

"But what's this with Jerry Jacks? He's not part of our game plan and even if he's not really dead, he's psycho and I don't think you want to go waking up a sleeping lion…especially if he's not all there."

Julian wondered the same thing about Ava sometimes…whether she'd gotten the same trait as the other sister.

"We don't know who he's working for," he said, "or his agenda. That's what I want to find out…just in case he shows up on the canvas and interferes with our plans."

Ava appeared to consider that but she was no dummy. Still…

"It seems like Alexis Davis is the only one who can handle him," she said, "The PD should just hand the whole affair over to her if he does come back."

Julian sighed.

"No. She's focusing on her family and Danny's still got a ways to go before he'll recover."

Ava chuckled.

"You mean your little family…I'll tell you something about impromptu revelations about missing relatives…they're a diversion neither of us need. We've got a job to do, others are depending on that."

"I know that…"

He really didn't need a lecture to her. He was as committed to the plan as she was…though that didn't mean he'd be walking away from his family. Sam, Danny and Alexis though he was still trying to figure her out.

"If this hobby of yours gets in our way…"

He leaned forward staring at her in that way of his that few questioned.

"Ava…I will tell you once. What's mine is not your concern…and you best not make it so."

His sister didn't respond to that, she just shook her head at him and walked out of his office.

* * *

Alexis woke up in the damn chair at the hospital where the Davis Girls minus Kristina lived these days. Molly and Rafe had arrived this morning with breakfast burritos made by Mac for all of them. He was so sweet. Sam had gone to check on Spinelli who had not been himself since Maxie gave birth to Lulu and Dante's newborn.

She'd heard that Sonny had gone on a bender of sorts and an assortment of enablers were chasing after him. She sighed, knowing that it'd just make it worse when Sonny got like this…he needed to sort out his own messy life like she'd had to deal with hers.

Connie had been a blip in his life or so she thought, not that she paid much attention. She and Sonny managed to be civil for the most part because they focused on their roles as the parents of a beautiful daughter produced by _their_ one night stand. It'd been damn difficult to be pregnant and alone except for Ned that time but at least she'd kept her baby.

Holding Kristina after pushing her out into her new world had been so damn difficult and it'd scared her too. She'd flashed back to another time when she'd only gotten to hold another dark haired baby girl briefly before having her taken away from her.

Then Mikkos through her surrogate aunt had told her that the baby had died not long after…and just disappeared from her life like a memory. No grave, no memorial just nothing except a death certificate she found later to prove she'd even existed at all.

She had thought about the boy who'd fathered that baby though her memories had already dimmed, his name first. But she knew that when it came to men fathering children, they could just walk away from them or leave them with their mothers in some life they visited once in a while.

Gifts on holidays. Occasional stolen time away from the real families. Fathers could always leave, mothers just stayed until they died.

"Mom…"

She blinked her eyes and looked and saw Sam there.

"Silas said they're getting ready to give him Derek's marrow."

Alexis smiled.

"Oh that's great honey," she said, "I know it's going to work…"

Sam bit her lip.

"Silas has been real great…for Danny. I just don't know if I'm ready for…you know after I kissed him."

Alexis nodded.

"There's nothing wrong if you feel something for him…it's human and he seems like a nice person…and he does care about your son. Anyone can see that."

"I know but I thought after all this time I had this relationship thing figured out and…"

Alexis laughed.

"Oh honey, you never figure it all out. That's just life. Men can be so…."

"Confusing…where they keep you off balance with just a look…some words…"

A kiss. Well two of them actually.

Alexis shrugged.

"Try walking in on a stranger while he's wearing just his briefs."

Sam's eyes furrowed.

"When was this?"

Alexis sighed, brushing a strand out of her face.

"Yesterday with Derek…before the procedure…"

Sam made one of her faces.

"Wow…"

Alexis paused.

"Yeah…wow…."

Silas walked up to both of them and they turned their attention to him eagerly.

"It's a go…the chemo did its job and it's time to transplant him."

Sam smiled widely.

"Oh god, finally…"

Silas pursed his lips.

"This is the most risky part of the procedure because it's going to take some time for the marrow to do its job so he can still get sick easily…we're going to have to continue with the precautions."

Sam looked at her mother then back at him.

"Okay…we can do that. I just want him to get better…I want it to work."

Silas smiled. Sam really liked it when he did that.

"I think it's looking very good so far. Danny's a fighter…"


	15. Chapter 15

Molly's eyes widened.

That seriously didn't just happen. Diane didn't just show off a human brain tumor in the middle of the courtroom.

Yet there was a photo of the infamous jar splashed on the front page of the _PC Press_. It had been displayed by Diane while she was trying to get a whole batch of murder charges against Franco dropped by the judge. She nudged Rafe sitting next to her.

"Are they allowed to do that," she said, "Just bring a body part even inside a jar inside a courtroom? It seems so…unsanitary."

He shrugged.

"Guess people like Diane can do whatever they want…"

Alexis sitting next to her on the other side took a critical look at the photo.

"That's looks like…something that used to belong to a bull…which case was it?"

Molly narrowed her eyes looking at it.

"It's Diane trying to keep Franco out of jail…again."

Ah yes, the sociopathic lunatic who couldn't be a bone marrow donor…well she supposed someone had to represent him in court. Lucky it wasn't going to be her because instead of helping him to a get out of jail on low bail card, she'd break his face for what he did to her eldest girl.

Molly just shook her head.

"I just can't believe it," she said, "what's this town coming to anyway?"

Alexis sighed.

"I can't answer that honey. I've lived here for years and I still don't get most of it."

Molly looked at her mother and shrugged, before she and Rafe went back to playing Candy Crush on their iPhones.

Alexis smiled at the two of them then went off to make a phone call.

* * *

Carly caught Derek when he left his building and headed to his car. She smiled at him.

"I hoped I'd run into you…the hotel is holding a benefit next week. I thought you might want to attend."

He tilted his face.

"I might…I'll have to check my schedule. I'm on my way to the hospital now."

She digested that.

"To check on Danny…"

He nodded.

"Not much has changed since I heard they were transplanting him this morning. Not much for you to do there."

"I'm going to visit him…and his mother."

She smiled.

"Look what I said the other day…"

"Never mind…I'll have my assistant call you when I decide on the benefit and I'll get back to you on a proposal for Metro Court from the marketing division."

He started walking away and she followed him.

"Great article by the way…on Franco's motion hearing…you do know that he's not guilty of those crimes because of his illness."

"That's for the judge to decide but it made for an interesting hearing."

She sighed.

"The judge will have to decide and I just hope that Franco doesn't wind up in a jail cell next to A.J. though he belongs there."

"That's for a jury to decide."

She chuckled.

"You really are new to PC if you believe that," she said, "You'll learn otherwise…if I can help you with anything just let me know…"

"I'll remember that…but I doubt it. I'd better get heading to the hospital.

He walked off and she shook his head as she headed to her own car.

* * *

Olivia sobbed into her handkerchief, her eyes so red and swollen she felt they might pop out of her head.

Sonny, damn him for what he was putting them all through. He'd pulled a disappearing act and she and Michael had been looking for him everywhere. God, how could he do this when she had Connie to bury but then no, he was so grief-stricken, no he had to do it.

She'd had the vision but it made no sense. None of them did and she wished they'd go away. Why had they started coming one day out of the blue after a whole life without them?

Liz saw her in the hospital near the nurse station.

"Are you okay?"

Olivia just looked at her in a daze, not really seeing her.

"I'm fine. I just can't find Sonny. He left this note. He's going to do something horrible to himself I just know it."

Liz sighed.

"I know…AJ. Is the same way. Sitting there in jail. Looking so wrecked and it's not really his fault…"

Alexis walked past the two of them thinking they needed to sit down and rethink their relationships with their men. Alexis had done that and had decided enough was enough. She'd focus on her girls and forget about dating. After all things hadn't worked so well with Shawn had they?

Olivia shook her head wiping more tears. Liz patted her shoulder.

"You mean you only had one vision?"

Olivia nodded.

"Just the one…Alexis I'm looking for Sonny have you seen him?"

She sighed at the pretty loaded question.

"Olivia…he's off somewhere feeling sorry for himself," she said, "He's just like this every once in a while He'll get over it."

The other woman just looked at her as she walked past her. Alexis remembered when it'd been her standing there worrying about Sonny and didn't envy Olivia. Maybe she'd wise up and realize she had to break free of him and maybe it'd come in a vision. Being his lawyer…that was making Alexis weary. Fortunately it didn't seem like he needed her much these days.

* * *

Sam and Silas were looking in on Danny who was still asleep in his isolation tent until they were sure that the bone marrow inside his body had been replaced with newer and better cells so that the cancer would go into remission.

But what they didn't discuss was The Kiss. Or The Kisses because she needed time to think and the ever methodical Silas didn't press the issue. Oh she knew that he liked her and she definitely liked him but he was different from most other guys. At least most guys that she'd known.

He was Danny's doctor and she had to remember that…they had a professional relationship though her mother had said it seemed more personal.

Still it was nice to have quiet moment like this with him and she knew he cared about Danny. He did have his personal issues waiting for him when all this was done. She still didn't know much about him or his private life only that he seemed to value his privacy a lot.

He intrigued her and she might have to dig a little deeper to find out the kind of man laying underneath who'd been bold enough to kiss her.

Twice.

* * *

Alexis had returned from the cafeteria with a really bad tasting cup of coffee to find that Molly and Rafe had taken off again. She sat in a chair sipping her drink, thinking she'd stay here and then head on home to spend most of the evening catching up on her legal briefs. She remembered she had to file some in the morning at the courthouse.

She'd give Kristina a call to see how she was doing in her study program abroad. Her daughter hadn't wanted to return to PC for a while and she couldn't blame her. She missed having all her girls together though.

Maybe by Thanksgiving…

A flash of memory hit her when she'd been at boarding school, studying for her exams after her roommate and most everyone else in the dorm had gone. She hadn't studied all the time, she'd gone on walks to town including by the bar where she'd had her one big adventure. But it'd been boarded up after the ABC had come in and busted the owners for of all things, selling alcohol to minors.

Most of the time she'd just napped, feeling so tired all the time and more lately sick to her stomach. Just a stomach bug that had been going around the school just before the break. Carla and a couple other girls in the dorm had gotten it too.

On Thanksgiving, she'd eaten dinner with the dorm mother and several other students and staff members at the school but had just picked at her plate.

Alexis sighed remembering that time of her life, not quite remembering the moment at 16 when she'd suspected that she hadn't been sick with some flu bug. But seriously she'd been so busy with a huge course load and struggling to stay on the honor roll that term that she'd kept telling herself if she could just hold it together until Christmas…

She'd be heading back to Cassadine Island for a month and wasn't looking forward to that. But it hadn't taken that long for everything to change…

"Alexis…"

She blinked her eyes to look up to see Derek standing there.

"Hello…when did you get here?"

"A few moments ago. Just dropping by to check on Danny."

She nodded putting her now lukewarm coffee down.

"There's not much in the way of news," she said, "Danny's still in very guarded condition but so far so good."

He sat next to her without being invited.

"So you finish anymore stories on the latest Q scandal?"

He shook his head.

"No...working on some other things."

"I saw Franco's brain on the front page," she said, "Dianne comes up with some interesting legal strategies."

"I can see that…it's been quite a town to cover by my newspaper."

She chuckled.

"Welcome to PC…never a dull moment."

"So you've been here some years…"

"It feels like forever sometimes," she said, "but I came here with my half-brother to do some legal work from him after working in New York City."

"Half-brother?"

"He's dead now. About ten years ago but I stayed here and raised my daughters. There's a good school system."

"Sam and Molly…"

She nodded.

"Kristina but she's off on a studying abroad program."

He appeared to digest that.

"What about you? You got any brothers and sisters?"

What a loaded question. He took the easiest route.

"A sister but we're estranged…"

Alexis looked at her hands.

"I had a sister too but she died before Kristina was born. I named her after her."

Not the easiest of times for her what with Luis Alcazar, his death and her difficult birth more than mitigated by the fact that this time when she held her baby no one would ever take her away from her.

She'd make sure of that and she did. No matter what it took, no one would ever take a child away from her again.

"Sam's a remarkable young woman…."

Alexis smiled.

"Yes she is…she's gone through so much in her life including in the past year. What with everything that's happened."

"I can imagine. But she has her family…mother and sisters…"

"A cousin and a lot of friends…," Alexis said, "A lot of people care about her and Danny…you seem to for not them that well."

He shrugged.

"Danny has a piece of me," he said, "….the bone marrow…"

She looked at him.

"Of course…my daughter, Kristina had a similar disease and got a transplant and she made it just fine. I think it runs in the family on my side."

"You had her when you were very young."

She narrowed her eyes.

"Yeah I did…we all make mistakes when we're that age. That was mine. But something really good came out of it…a wonderful daughter. I mean I'm sure you made your share of them…"

He paused a long moment.

"I did…so that was a mistake aside from your daughter?"

She thought about it, not sure what he was asking.

"It was the foolishness of being young, wanting to be someone else for a little while and that can have…other consequences…"

Suddenly they looked up as they saw two men that looked like a nurse and an orderly fighting in the middle of the area by the nurses' station.


	16. Chapter 16

"What the…"

That's what most witnesses said when they saw Felix and Brad go at it right in the middle of GH. The fists were flying and no one had any idea what happened in their midst. No one seemed in a hurry to stop them. Fists had been flying at the hospital lately. Patrick pummeled Brad and now Felix seemed to be getting his hits in too.

Alexis shook her head.

"Never a dull moment at GH."

Derek looked bemused.

"Maybe that explains the black eye…"

Alexis shrugged.

"Quite a few people walking around with shiners."

Finally Mac showed up and managed to break the two apart and put them in opposing corners. He walked on over to Alexis and Derek afterward.

"Hi there Alexis…"

The smile was for her…the wary glance was for the man sitting next to her.

"Derek…"

Alexis got up and hugged him.

"How's Maxie?"

He sighed.

"She's still insisting the baby's hers…they referred her to a psychologist."

She stroked his arm looking at him.

"It's hard Mac to do what she did. I can't even imagine what it must be to be a surrogate but I do know the rest of it."

"She's pretty distraught."

"I can imagine. There's nothing more special than holding a baby you've carried for the first time…it becomes so real…and it's even better than all your dreams of what might be. To say goodbye…it's one of the hardest things…but she will because she'll have to move on. Life just doesn't stop because your heart is broken."

Mac looked at her and hugged her.

"Thanks…"

He walked away and she turned around to see Derek looking at her.

She arched a brow.

"What…"

He paused a long moment.

"Nothing…"

* * *

Carly had watched that blonde bimbo Ava with her son from across the room. Kiki twit had left the room and now Ava was moving in on Morgan, sidling up to him and brushing against him.

She had to stop herself from going over there and pulling her away and throwing her out of the Metro Court lobby. Soon enough Kiki returned and Ava retreated to her corner.

But Carly knew she was going to have to sit down Morgan and have a talk with him soon. She walked away from them and bumped into the dark haired man leaving in the faded jeans and the worn shirt…now he looked kind of hot.

God she so needed a man. She was single, free and way over 21, why was it that none of the men in PC were paying attention to her?

Sonny had disappeared on one of his benders, Jax was out of her life, A.J. was heading in a downward spiral really fast and hadn't shaved in weeks. Derek the new guy at the newspaper spent most of his time at GH. She'd offered to help him but he'd nipped that in the bud.

Oh well, I he didn't hit her up he must not like women.

That left her with Franco but even with the tumor out, he just didn't seem quite…right. She'd been in court when that played out and had played a starring role which pleased her, invigorated proved to herself that she still had it…

She still rocked the floor.

Kiki and Morgan walked past her and she couldn't see Ava not until…she turned around and there the woman stood, stylishly dressed, talons only slightly out.

"Ava…"

"Carly…"

They might have air kissed if they were friendly but instead they faced off against each other. Carly snarled first.

"I think that you are looking a little too friendly with my son," she said, "This isn't _Midnight Cowboy_…"

Ava looked bored.

"You mean _The Graduate_… I'm just being motherly to a man who married my daughter and who's always come in second to his older brother Michael."

Carly felt ire inside her.

"That's not true…I love both my boys…and if you do anything to hurt Morgan, I will rip your face off…"

Ava sneered.

"Yourself or will you get your man to do it for you? Oh wait, Franco…he's barely a man these days…"

Oh Carly so wanted a piece of her.

"He's more man than….than…than…"

Oh crap the only man she'd seen Ava was with her youngest son. Ava spun on her.

"You know if you made sure your other son Michael wasn't trying to take from his own brother," she said, "Maybe Morgan's eyes wouldn't be wandering."

"Maybe if your daughter was a little less of a tramp…"

Ava's eyes turned deadly. Carly didn't back down, her lips curled in a snarl. Morgan walked up to both of them wondering what the hell was going on.

"Mom…Michael just called," he said, "No one can find Sonny…we think that maybe you're the only one who can find him…"

Carly agreed but did she really want to go down that road again?

"Morgan, where's Olivia? Isn't she out there saving the day with one of her visions?"

Her son shook his head.

"She can't find him. No one can find him."

Carly sighed, once again she'd have to save the day for her boys.

* * *

Alexis sat in her chair after Derek had gone off to make some phone calls. She had really felt for Maxie and for…Mac who'd been such a good father to her. It'd be tough but Maxie would just have to come to terms with it and move on with her life, one day at a time.

She wondered if her conversation with Mac had made Derek uncomfortable but he'd just have to deal with it. Besides how did he think she felt when he stood before her in his briefs in the exam room? No, he knew exactly what he was doing. He was a good…no great looking man who seemed normal as far as she could tell, who seemed to be drawn to her.

Something she wasn't used to in men in her life…except for a certain violent sociopath who wouldn't be mentioned. It made no sense to her, maybe it was just forced closeness from him being able to save her grandson's life.

"Hi…"

She looked up to see Sam take a seat next to her.

"What's up?"

Sam smiled.

"Danny's sleep after being up for a while," she said, "He seems happy enough in isolation. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing."

Alexis put an arm around her daughter.

"It's a good thing because he'll be coming home…and this place will be a distant memory."

"I hope so…Silas seems so hopeful. But we won't know if it'll get rid of the cancer for a while yet…"

"The waiting's the hardest part," Alexis said, "but when it's time to take him home, we can celebrate."

Sam nodded, then smiled.

"Yeah I'd love to do that…"

"Do what?"

They looked and saw Derek heading towards them putting his phone away. Sam looked up at him.

"Celebrate when Danny comes home," she said, "It's been so long since he's seen the house…his bedroom…"

He seemed to approve.

"Sounds like a plan…invite family and friends…."

Alexis felt her phone vibrate with an unknown number. That irritated her but it could be important.

"I need to take this…"

Sam continued to smile at him.

"You'd be invited too…of course…"

He smiled back at her.

"I'd be honored…"

She looked down at her hands.

"It's going to be so nice to be back at home with my son," she said, "It's been…hard. It'll be nice to see things settle back to normal…"

Alexis walked off to the nurse's station to check her phone not being able to figure out who called her. Instead she saw a text, short and sweet.

"_I'm back…"_


	17. Chapter 17

Alexis stared at the text.

One man came to mind immediately but it couldn't be him because he'd been dead for over a year. Of course that was no guarantee that he'd stay dead, given that it seemed that people rarely did.

She knew that being a member of the Cassadine family where having more than one life was an inherited trait like dark hair and madness. After all she'd heard a rumor that Helena had finally been killed but until she saw the body herself…she had some trouble believing that.

After Stavros came back from the dead at least twice…and was also supposed to be down for good. But Jerry Jacks wasn't a Cassadine.

He'd been shot to death when Sonny and Jax had gone after him on the docks at PC's harbor before he could sail away in a boat with her as his hostage. She'd traded her freedom and her life so that the antidote could be given to everyone in PC who'd been poisoned.

It'd been so hard making that deal with him, believing she'd never see her girls again but knowing they'd live because of her act. You never knew how far you'd go to family, giving up your freedom or your life for them until someone tested you.

"Hey is everything okay?"

She turned around and saw Derek there watching her. She put her phone away and nodded.

"Fine…just business…excuse me…"

She walked away from him and he watched her head towards the hallway.

* * *

Ava walked up to him. He frowned at her.

"What are you doing here sis? We can't be seen together. People will talk."

She waved her hand.

"You're a publisher. I'm one of your latest front page exposes. I'll try to look unhappy. It won't be much of an act."

He sighed.

"What is it?"

She licked her lips thoughtfully.

"It's about Carly Jacks."

"What about her? Except that I'm helping her to market her hotel in the guise of getting control of it."

Ava's mouth turned into a pout.

"You need to get her off my back," she said, "She's being very difficult."

"She's your in-law not mine," he said, "your problem."

"But she's close with Sonny…his ex-wife and we can use that as a vantage point," she reasoned, "She's driving me crazy…accusing me of coming onto my own son in law."

He arched a brow.

"Are you?"

She looked like she itched to slap him.

"You believe I'd seduce my own daughter's husband?"

He didn't respond immediately.

"Oh Julian…you really are a bastard…and here you are back at the hospital…with your new family."

She smirked when she said that which didn't please him.

"I told you…what's mine is…"

She countered.

"I know and as long as they don't distract you from our purpose, I can honor that agreement."

"Nothing's detracting me from the game plan," he said, "as long as I don't have to clean up after your mistakes…"

Ava bristled.

"I haven't made any. I'm not the one hanging out at a hospital with a family I can't ever claim…"

He sighed staring at her.

"I'm not after anything. I just donated bone marrow. That's all."

She purred at him.

"Then why are you still here?"

He couldn't answer that question right away.

* * *

Alexis located Mac in the cafeteria.

"How do you know it's him?"

She sat down across from him.

"I just know Mac…the number's blocked. He doesn't want me to find him."

The former commissioner frowned.

"He's supposed to be dead," he said, "Why if he's alive would he contact you and blow his cover?"

"I don't know Mac. The last time I saw him he'd been shot dead and fell into the harbor but they never found his body."

"Is anyone else getting contacted by him?"

She ran a hand through her hair.

"I don't know…No one's around. You know Luke, he takes off every so often on one of his adventures and no one can find him."

Mac nodded.

"What about the police?"

Alexis shook her head.

"What's there to tell them? I have no proof it's him that sent it. The number's blocked."

"But you're sure it's him…."

She nodded.

"I know him Mac, I know the way he works and this is him…I just don't know what he wants…it better not be my kids."

"Nothing's going to happen to them Alexis," he said, "We'll get to the bottom of this…I'll make some calls."

She smiled at him.

"Thanks Mac…I just can't think of anything else besides what's going on with Danny and Sam. But I swear if he does come after me or my children, like I told him…I'm a Cassadine."

Okay, maybe there weren't many of her family members left. They were all dead, mostly frozen in her father's chamber. But that was maybe after the second or third time they "died", it was difficult to keep straight in her head.

"Sonny for all his faults won't let anything happened to his little girl."

She had to smile at that because she did know that he loved his daughter they shared.

"At least she's got a daddy no one will mess with," she said, "Ric…well he runs from trouble and Sam? I just learned that I can't depend on a man to look after me and the girls…that's my job and so help him I he does come back to cause trouble, I'll remind him of that fast."

* * *

Ava just looked at her brother with a smirk.

"I thought so…are you sure you're going to be able to stick to the plan? Because all I'm seeing is you dragging your heels brother…we could always send for…"

He shook his head.

"No. I'll handle it. I've done everything to the letter so far…including bailing you out of the ELQ mess…which wasn't part of it."

She glowered and he knew she wouldn't quickly forgive him for that. He knew to watch his back when she wore the mood that reminded him she was a Jerome.

"I had that under control. You didn't have to splash my daughter on the front page."

He remembered that decision and the person who'd given him pause about it hadn't been her.

"I explained that to you and how that fits into our plan," he said, "or are you the one getting cold feet?"

She just stared at her brother. Sometimes she thought and he did too that they hadn't spent much face to face time together. Especially given what had happened to Julian's _other_ sister.

"No…I'm not. I know how to keep my family separate and apart from the master plan," she said, "That's the way it has to be for us to succeed. You my older brother need to learn to do the same…don't let others take that decision out of your hands…"

He watched as she walked away from him.

* * *

Alexis looked at her grandson lying asleep in his crib while the marrow tried to do its work. The initial signs had been guarded but Silas had told her and Sam that they should start seeing some better blood work in a week.

No infections so far and no relapses, he'd been eating more and he seemed more alert when he was awake. She knew her daughter ached to hold her son, in a way only like a mother in that situation. Alexis didn't know much about how fathers acted, Sam didn't and because of circumstances, Danny may never know as well.

That tugged at her but that was how life had turned out for all the Davis women. She'd talked to Kristina who'd wanted to come to PC but she'd told her absolutely not. It'd not been long since she'd been a target of a nefarious plot, used by others because she was Sonny's daughter and one of the closest people to him.

Sometimes it felt like a full time looking after her girls considering their complicated family histories and yeah, the choices she'd made in her own life including men.

Not the best of choices looking back, but she'd gotten so much good out of them she'd never trade back. With Kristina and Molly, it'd been tough but Sam…there'd been consequences out of choices she hadn't made earlier in her life or been allowed to make more accurately.

After all, someone outside of herself must have wanted her baby to live. Just like with her sister, Kristina.

Danny would live despite an old Cassadine curse more powerful than some words tossed around by Helena but it'd been some random stranger who'd come to PC at the right time to save Danny's life.

Life certainly was funny the way it worked out. Or at least ironic like the Alanis Morrissette song she'd loved to listen to when her life in New York City wound down, to describe her dating life.

Sam walked up to her then beaming so Alexis knew she'd spent some quality time with Silas. The anniversary of her husband's death a few days away…Alexis hoped there'd be good news about Danny by then. Her daughter deserved her happiness.

"He's so peaceful lying there," Sam said, "I know that's good but I miss his feistiness."

Alexis smiled.

"It's a Davis trait. It'll be back before you know it."

Then another voice behind them.

"What's this about a Davis trait?"

They both looked up to see Derek had entered the room and stood right next to him. Neither said anything to him about being there.

It just felt so natural and right for some reason. So the three of them just stood watch over the little boy fighting for his life in his crib.


	18. Chapter 18

**Earlier….one day and night, 1979**

"I don't believe it Alexis…I think you're just blowing smoke…"

She looked at her roommate Carla and another girl named Amber who was the daughter of an actress from New York City dropped there while her mother recovered from the latest round of plastic surgery to keep her career going. Being roomies in the same dorm they all knew each other's life stories including why they'd been dumped into a boarding school.

It's just that in Alexis' case she'd made her own up. She was the daughter of a businessman in some European country say Greece who traveled as part of his work most of the time and her mother had died, when oh when giving birth to her of course. Some might call her a liar for doing that and so might her friends if they knew, but Alexis just called it survival. After all the reason she was in a posh boarding school located in upstate New Hampshire and not back at her real time, well it was because her father didn't want her to be underfoot. She didn't care. She hated spending time on Cassadine Island. Better to not fit in a boarding school among other girls who could share their blue blooded heritage rather than hide it away.

Story of her life being hidden away. Her life on the Cassadine estate on the island and before that…it got fuzzy…she didn't remember much of her early childhood because she just figured she'd never had one.

Carla glanced at Amber.

"See I told you…she's just talking about joining us when we sneak out and go to town but it's never going to happen."

Amber shrugged.

"Hey that means more guys for us. If she doesn't want to have some serious fun while in this prison that's her fault."

Alexis protested.

"I do want to have fun…as soon as midterms are over," she said, "Then I'll join you."

Carla brightened.

"You'd actually look good with some makeup. Some mousse in that hair and better clothes…"

Amber nodded, seeing some possibilities.

"Yeah…she's got to do something with that hair…you could be pretty you know if you worked it."

"What's wrong with my hair?"

Amber pursed her lips.

"Nothing…soften that curl a bit," she said, "Wear it up."

Carla protested.

"She's…you're very pretty…it's just playing up a few features that's all. The boys in town don't need much encouraging if you know what I mean…"

Amber giggled too but Alexis didn't get it. She wasn't sure about that part of it. Men were bullies who dominated women and controlled everything and she'd been warned by the Cassadine men to stay away from them. Amber and Carla could enjoy the men, Alexis just wanted to get out this stifling environment and feel free for a change…pretend she was someone else besides herself.

"I don't care about them…I just want some time out of this place. See what it's like to be someone else…"

The two girls looked at her puzzled then and she knew she'd said too much. So she covered, putting a smile that didn't come easily on her face.

"You know…to be someone else besides a 16 year old high school student. Isn't that what we all want?"

The two girls laughed and seemed more comfortable with that less than perfect truth.

* * *

The bar filled up early that night. It'd been chillier now that summer faded into memory once again. Julian had joined a couple of his college buddies for a study group but that went out the window when once again, the ringleader in the group Blake had decided they should cut out early to head to town.

So they'd wound up in some bar, one of a strip of similar looking buildings in the outskirts of town but still this was the one that got the lion share of the business because they looked the other way when it came to carding. Not a problem for him and his friends but he knew the bar owner, some guy named Archie Radcliff were after the lucrative high school crowd. His son Mitch not much older than Julian was the bouncer and pretty lax.

But while drinking was part of it, the rest of the guys were soon into the town girls who hung out at places like this looking for a good time. He'd enjoyed several himself, he was a young man after all cut loose to go to college but soon tired of them.

So he sat at a table and nursed a bourbon. Julian had an eye for detail, something picked up by his journalism teacher. Yeah he knew he'd never used what he learned as his father had other plans for him but he'd taken the class as a lark and enjoyed it.

His eyes caught everything, every nook and cranny inside a room or anything about a person including a glance, a shift in body posture or the movement of a hand. A group of older men at a table adjacent to him caught his eye.

Vodka drinkers all of them, three together. All dressed in suits, Armani and totally out of place in a working class bar. Even he'd dressed down in worn jeans and a dark sweater. Julian had seen this type of deal before and guessed they were seriously bad assed. Their body language, their clothes and the way the one with the darkest hair smiled, his blue eyes like the ice in a vodka glass.

Then they started talking, in clipped voices clearly not Americans.

"So you think he hid her here then," one of them with sandier hair said, "somewhere far enough away from the island."

The darkest haired one nodded.

"Sure looks like it Tony. It makes sense to keep her far away from Helena."

Tony sipped his drink.

"Victor, that'd be foolish to try to pull one past the queen bitch," he said, "but then Mikkos has always had a soft spot for pretty Scandinavian women. God now many other bastards he sired out there waiting to get their hooks into the family's wealth."

"True…and he's got an heir to protect," Victor said, "though Stavros is already showing he inherited his mother's cruel streak."

The others chuckled. Julian watched and despite his own family history he was repulsed by this crew of men clearly brothers.

"I say ice this one," the third one said, "as an aberration. Easily done and we're heading to New York state anyway. That'll get Helena off our backs."

Tony arched his brows.

"Petros that's cold…she's only a teenager…"

The other man slugged back his vodka with a shrug.

"It's best to get them before when they're young. Not old enough to strike back."

Julian knew enough they were discussing a hit against some young girl who lived somewhere. He'd known for a long time that members of his own family and their circle of friends had similar conversations.

But not against family.

"I mean what if she remembers her birth name and decides as Mikkos' daughter she wants it all? Where does that leave the rest of us?"

Victor shook his head.

"Natasha died with her mother. She won't be coming back. Helena made sure of that…"

The other two men fell silent. Victor clearly acted in charge.

"We've got more important work to do," he said, "a plan of action to enact and we have to get there and in place before someone else finds the diamond."

Tony nodded.

"I'm already working on it with Alexandra…she's hiding in plain sight so it shouldn't take long before we're done and ready to use it when the time's right. She knows what to do if it surfaces at an auction. Until then we have to sit and wait…"

Victor didn't seem so sure.

"I want to make absolutely sure…you know what they say about the best laid plans…that's why this is only a recon and surveillance visit for what's coming down the road."

Words that would come back to haunt quite a few people years later including the one sitting at the nearby table drinking bourbon that they never noticed.

* * *

Alexis lay back in her bed while her roommate slept. It had been a clear, brisk night and the moon shone brightly.

Tonight they had almost gone to the bar but they'd all drawn dishes in the cafeteria and then Alexis studied for exams while Carla made up some popcorn as a snack.

"Damn tonight would have been perfect," Carla said, "I mean since they stopped carding there, we don't even need the fake IDs. As long as that guy, Mitch is at the door."

Alexis shrugged.

"We got dishes and besides I got a term paper tomorrow in Poly Sci."

Carla waved her hand.

"Well who cares about tests? Maybe tomorrow night. You up to it?"

Alexis had to think about it and she thought about it as she lay in bed, unable to sleep with the moonlight shining through the curtains.

She badly wanted to reinvent herself and live like normal people. If only for one night.


	19. Chapter 19

Julian had been in the morgue of his newspaper reading up on the history of PC seeing if there were anything he missed. Some guy named Luke Spencer had gotten a whole lot of press in the years before the Jeromes had journeyed to PC to expand their operation.

He clearly fancied himself some type of action hero taking on all kinds of evil to prove that good prevailed in the end. Julian knew it never worked out that neatly. There was always a catch, a chink in someone's armor or a weakness of character that prevented anyone from being heroic all the time.

Luke had many weaknesses including a woman named Laura who he'd either seduced or raped depending on whoever provided their version of events. He had a weakness for liquor and when he'd dabbled in politics, proved to be an ineffectual mayor.

Too distracted with other pastimes.

Luke had tied himself in the Quartermaines which is what interested Julian. Marrying Tracy though the paper trail on that looked extremely convoluted but then Luke had a history of pulling disappearing acts.

Still he'd taken down Frank Smith's operation pretty much single handedly though it'd been Sonny who'd finally killed the bottom feeder off.

Then his eyes spotted a photo of the ugliest piece of sculpture of a black rock on display in a museum. The so-called Iced Princess, it was called and it'd apparently been coveted and sought out by a myriad of players.

No accounting for taste in art.

Then his eyes narrowed as he saw an article about the purchase of said art piece for millions at auction He checked it out twice. They couldn't be serious…it was a piece of junk.

But no, it was more than that. It wasn't artwork at all, it was simply a diamond painted black for some reason. He saw the photo of the woman who bought it, an Alexandra Quartermaine pretty and regal looking. A throng of people surrounded her and in the back, he saw a man standing alone in a tux. He recognized him though he wasn't named.

He looked further on the chronology for articles. An explosion of a houseboat which left no bodies…the death of an older woman…with covert ties. Then he saw a photo of that same man again.

Anthony Castle, businessman and philanthropist who'd donated a ton of cash to GH to some fanfare. But apparently Luke thought there was more to it than appeared.

Julian knew Luke had been right. He'd seen this Anthony Castle before years earlier sitting in a bar talking with his brothers about a diamond that might go up for auction. It didn't take much to figure out that must have actually been the Ice Princess. An Alexandra had been mentioned in the conversation but Julian didn't know she'd been a Quartermaine.

He turned away from the archived footage on one of PC's more colorful chapters of its history. Interesting tale but didn't get him closer to figuring out his opponents' weaknesses.

* * *

Alexis ran into Dianne at the courthouse. They'd been not so friendly for a while but lately they'd been back to sharing drinks. Face it, there were not so many older professional women in town who took care of themselves and didn't need a man in their life to fix everything.

"What's up Alexis? Did you see the _Press_? Two articles, on two cases in one edition."

Alexis nodded.

"I saw Franco's brain on the front page," she said, "I think you just scarred my youngest daughter for life."

Dianne shook her head.

"As jaded as today's youth is…she'll forget about it the next time someone tweets her some boy's photo."

Alexis frowned.

"I don't get this tweeting. It's got to just be a phase."

Dianne sighed.

"Well anyway, it's been a hectic couple of days and the DA wants me disbarred but that's nothing new…so what's new with you?"

"Danny's got his transplant and we're waiting to see if it works. I'm heading back to GH now when I'm done filing briefs here."

"That's wonderful. I'd heard that the donor's match was perfect. I also heard that you went rushing out of an exam room the other day…totally red faced."

Alexis sighed. She should have known given that gossip flew around that hospital faster than the speed of light. But she really hadn't thought anyone noticed except Derek of course.

"Oh that…nothing to it. I just walked in on a patient while he was getting…undressed."

Dianne's brows arched up.

"Someone totally random. I don't buy that…come on fess up."

Alexis bit her lip.

"It was the bone marrow donor…"

Dianne harrumphed.

"Really Alexis if his marrow's inside your grandson, don't you think you can share his name?"

Alexis shook her head.

"He wanted to keep it low key. Definitely didn't want to draw attention to himself."

Dianne frowned.

"Is he shy?"

"No definitely not. He didn't rush to put on his gown."

Dianne's mouth curved into a smile.

"Sounds like my kind of guy. Is he single?"

Alexis frowned.

"I don't know. He didn't say."

Dianne smiled.

"Well if he is and he's looking for some action, get me his business card. There's nothing better than celebrating a victory in court than with a virile man."

Alexis walked her walk off and shook her head. Some people never changed and once again Dianne was on the prowl.

But her and a man like Derek…it'd never work and for some reason, that didn't bother her in the least.

* * *

Julian got off the phone with one of his contacts. The pieces were falling into place and it was time to make the next move.

Ava wanted to strike even faster and it was getting harder to tell her that the timing had to be just perfect.

In the meantime he'd gotten some story updates. Franco was indeed a free man which might not thrill Ava. A.J. was preparing for his next appearance in court most likely his prelim hearing. Rumor had it the DA was planning on throwing him some extra charges.

The rumors about Jerry Jacks still being alive were just that, rumors. Luckily for him.

He'd drawn up all of Sonny's holdings on the computer knowing it'd only tell a partial story of his operation meaning that only the legit side of his business would show up.

The door opened and in walked Carly who seemed to becoming a regular fixture but he knew he had to be careful with her.

"So when are we going to talk business about my hotel?"

He glanced up at her from the screen.

"I've been busy…"

"I know you've been at GH checking up on Danny and I think that's real sweet of you but well, I've got some ideas for the marketing and…"

He interrupted.

"I might need to get information from you on a story instead. Do you know a Jerry Jacks?"

She looked at him puzzled.

"You mean my crazy assed brother in law who tried to kill everyone in PC last year?"

He nodded.

"The one…since it's been almost a year, it seemed like a good time to follow up with the story."

She shrugged.

"It's all over and done with. Sonny, Jax and I saved the day of course…with some help from the police."

Derek glanced back at the screen.

"What a relief. So he's dead because it doesn't seem like they found a body?"

She tilted her face.

"Oh he's dead. My two exes made sure of that. He won't be coming back. It wouldn't matter. Jax turned his back on Jerry a long time ago."

Carly seemed sure of that but then why the rumors?

"What's it to you anyway? You weren't here then. You missed how everyone nearly died…well got sick except for my daughter and Alexis…"

He leaned forward.

"Why those two?"

She shrugged.

"You'll have to ask them why they got antidotes but he did say that he wouldn't hurt his brother's child. As for Alexis, he had a thing for her. She always attracted men like that. Three children by three different fathers."

He arched a brow.

"What about you?"

She didn't respond to that. He got up from his desk.

"I have to go out," he said, "I'll call you about a proposal for the Metro Court when I'm done with it."

She followed him out the door of his office.

* * *

Alexis cooked dinner in the kitchen with Molly before heading back out to the hospital. She'd take some of the pasta and salad back to Sam and maybe Silas would be ready to eat as well. She saw how close they'd gotten and how well he treated her daughter. So far she approved, Sam deserved to be with a man who treated her well.

Jason, well she'd had issues with Sam's husband but she knew he'd loved Sam. It'd gone rocky before Jason's death but the couple had been working through it, she knew they still loved each other.

Now Jason's death had meant one less prospective donor but in the end, it hadn't mattered. He hadn't been needed to keep his son alive.

"So are you okay with Rafe and I going to the poet's reading?"

Alexis frowned.

"Poetry reading?"

Molly nodded.

"Yeah it's at the mall where I did my book signing."

Alexis hedged, remembering the not so mysterious text. She hadn't gotten any since so maybe it was an aberration.

"Okay…that'll be fine. Just text me if you need a ride…"

"I got that covered…"

Alexis smiled at her daughter.

"Fine…then call or text me when you get home in case I'm still at the hospital."

Molly paused.

"Mom…do you like him?"

Alexis stirred the pasta on the stove.

"Like who honey?"

"Derek Wells, the publisher…the donor for Danny."

Alexis furrowed her brows.

"Like…well yes he seems nice," she said, "I mean he's saving a little boy's life…"

Molly threw her a pointed look.

"No mom I mean do you like him? You know, want to go out with him?"

Alexis just stared at her daughter, forgetting about the pasta for a moment.

"Molly…I don't really know him," she said, "Not that well…and I'm sure men like that have busy enough social lives."

Molly pursed her lips.

"He'd be a good leading character for a book," she said, "A man who comes out of nowhere and winds up rescuing a baby he doesn't even know…then he falls in love with…"

Alexis held up her hand.

"Wait a minute…this is the part where he's already got plenty of women to keep him happy. I'm just thankful he was able to donate some bone marrow…that's enough."

Molly reached for the ladle to help with the sauce.

"You know he might be looking for something…"

"Like what honey?"

Molly paused.

"Like family…he spends a lot of time there with Sam and Danny…"

Alexis shrugged.

"He's just concerned…that's all. I'm sure he's got plenty of family…"

Easy to see then it occurred to her that she didn't know that. Yeah she'd googled him but it only mentioned the man's professional accomplishments.

Nothing about his family…any wife, any children…nothing like that came up in any of the articles. He'd seemed a bit defensive when he'd caught her with a file on him. But then she couldn't blame him for that.

Then when she'd made that comment about whether it'd matter if he harbored some deep dark secret. He'd answered back that it might and she sensed he was going to tell her something. But Sam interrupted them.

What had he been about to say?

Molly's phone vibrated and she glanced at it.

"Got to go…say hi to Sam and Danny for me."

Alexis hugged her youngest goodbye.

"Will do…have a fun time…"

She watched her go and then she looked at her watch realizing she needed to head to the hospital soon.


	20. Chapter 20

Alexis stood watching her grandson in the crib and realized she wasn't alone. Derek had walked in at some point to stand next to her. He'd been checking on Danny a lot she noticed not that she'd complained. He probably felt a connection as the man who'd given the little boy his bone marrow and thus a second chance at life.

"Seems comfortable."

She didn't glance at him.

"He's been sleeping a lot. Dr. Clay said that would happen. It's a good sign."

"When will he be out of the woods?"

She paused.

"Hopefully we'll know in a day or two," she said, "The blood tests are encouraging but they're not yet where they should be."

"He looks like a strong kid."

She smiled.

"He is…he was growing so fast," she said, "Before he got sick. It happened so suddenly."

He sighed.

"It must have been difficult especially without his father."

Alexis considered that.

"Sam grew up without hers," she said, "She grew up without either one of her parents."

He frowned.

"Why was that? What happened?"

She fell silent for a long moment looking at Danny in his crib.

"I gave her up for adoption," she said, "I couldn't raise her. I was only 16. It was the sensible thing to do."

She kept her voice even along with her emotions but it always proved difficult when she remembered the past.

"You told me her father wasn't in the picture…after that night."

She rubbed her forehead with a couple of fingers.

"No he wasn't…he was long gone," she said, "Not that I blame him for that. It was just a one night stand after all. It didn't mean anything."

He didn't respond. She wondered if she'd made him uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have said that. But it is what it is. It's not some fairytale story about meeting my prince and living happily ever after. It doesn't matter because I was finally able to find my daughter again."

He glanced at her standing there dressed casually in dark pants and a long sleeve oversized shirt. He imagined she'd worn it before, even napped while holding vigil for her grandson.

Their grandson.

"That's a good thing…to find a child again. Maybe someday she'll get to meet her father."

She appeared to consider that.

"I don't know…I don't have enough to go on and I'd have to find him…to tell him. That's assuming he'd care about her."

"I think you'd have to ask him…once he knows."

She took a deep breath.

"Maybe…he wasn't a jerk far from it," she said, "He seemed very nice. But I never saw him again. Maybe to him I was just the girl that night…I mean it was the back seat of a car."

"Maybe he thought you were pretty and wanted to get to know you better."

She looked back at Danny's crib.

"Maybe he just wanted to get some," she said, "I know I did when I was with him. Well, mostly I just wanted to leave the school for a while. It was so strict it was hard to even breathe in there."

"Briarton Griggs Academy."

"Oh yeah, very strict," she said, "We weren't even allowed to go off campus except for organized outings."

He smiled.

"I see that didn't stop some of you."

"No…that's the only time I ever did it…went off campus. My roommate had been pushing me to join them…but I thought they'd just make fun of me. I wasn't like them, any of them. My life…it was just so different."

He sidled closer to where their shoulders brushed. She definitely noticed that.

"So this guy was nice?"

She thought about it.

"Yeah…and good looking too. He had messy hair…"

Derek laughed in that self-depreciating way.

"Messy?"

She nodded oblivious.

"Yep. And a leather jacket so much different than the other boys. You know, the kind that bad boys wear."

His brow arched.

"Bad boys?"

She continued.

"Yeah you know…guys who hang out together usually with fast cars and drink single barrel bourbon and pick up girls in bars…"

She glanced at him and his mouth dropped open.

"Did I say something wrong?"

That laugh again. Kind of cute. A chink in the armor of the Alpha Male next to her.

"No…no you didn't…and what about girls who drink bourbon?"

She blinked her eyes and stared at him.

"That's what I had that night…"

He paused.

"Maybe it's a popular drink…in New Hampshire."

She shrugged.

"It's the first bottle I saw behind the bar," she said, "though the guy drank it too."

He didn't know what to say about that. So they just both watched Danny for a while, both deep in thought.

* * *

Sam walked out with Silas who had to go to look in on another patient. He'd hugged her goodbye even though they'd be seeing each other soon enough. She liked that about him…how he'd thawed in the past few weeks. Slowly…but by the time he'd kissed her…twice he'd told her that he wasn't closing the door on any future for them.

That thrilled but it also scared her. After all, she'd lost the love of her life in Jason and yet…she'd learned more about herself as a person in the past year, more about her strengths but also her vulnerabilities.

"Your mother and Mr. Wells seem to be spending a lot of time together."

Sam had noticed that too but she'd been so focused on Danny.

"Yeah…that's interesting…"

Derek had held her son, told her that he wanted to be her friend before hugging her. Maybe that's how bone marrow donors acted, she just didn't know. She certainly wasn't going to tell Silas her mother had walked in on said bone marrow donor in his skivvies.

But maybe they'd discover they had a lot in common and become at least friends. Sami knew that her mother came off some sort of relationship with Shawn Butler that made no sense to her. Her mother's heart just didn't seem to be in it though Sam knew all about the friends with benefits type of relationship, it just never seemed to fit her mother.

No, she and Alexis definitely hadn't been…close until recently. But everything that had happened to them, water under the bridge. It wasn't until the past crisis brought them together that Sam realized how much she truly missed having a mother. Funny isn't it, you live your whole life without something or…someone and then everything changed.

She knew she loved her mother with a fierceness of a daughter denied one most her life. She knew her mother loved her too as much…but she wasn't blind. She knew that as much as Alexis loved her, the part of her life that had birthed Sam had included pain and lots of it. If Sam didn't know that earlier, she definitely knew when she'd pressed her mother for details about her father.

Alexis had finally broke down and told her and damn, by the end of it Sami had almost regretted asking her. But with her son's life at stake, did she have a choice? She also knew that despite her pain, her mother truly understood what it meant to walk in her shoes and at that moment, Sam knew what it'd been like to fit in her mother's.

The Cassadine curse.

But now that she had a donor, she could put all her questions and curiosity about her father aside. Maybe forever. She had her mother, sisters, a cousin and her precious little baby.

That would have to be enough.


	21. Chapter 21

**Thanks for reading and your reviews! Really appreciate it. I hope GH's head writers get on board with this really promising pairing. **

**Earlier….1979**

Carla looked at her and shook her head.

"God you look sick," she said, "I mean I had the flu for a couple of days but you…it's been longer than that."

Alexis clenched her hands at her side. She still tasted the vomit inside her mouth that water couldn't chase after she'd been sick again in the bathroom. Sometimes it was all she could do just to make it…and she'd never felt so tired in her life.

"You need to see the nurse Alexis…"

She spun around on Carla.

"No…I'm fine…maybe it was the roast beef last night."

Carla rolled her eyes.

"And the corned beef before that, cold cuts and salmon the previous day...and…"

Alexis put her hand up.

"It's just the flu. It's got to be the flu. Amber had it for a week."

Carla put a hand on her hip.

"You've had it much longer than that. More like a month. You need to see the nurse."

Alexis shook her head. Really it wasn't that bad. Once she got sick, her stomach felt much better the rest of the day.

Amber breezed in the room and cast Alexis a critical eye.

"Sick again? Food's not that bad…though the roast beef last night…"

Alexis glanced over at Carla.

"See…"

But Carla wasn't having any of it.

"It's not food poisoning Alexis."

Amber took the more blunt approach.

"You know if I ever thought you got out of this prison, I'd say you got morning sickness," she said, "but as far as I know an immaculate conception's only happened once."

Alexis just stared at her.

"What?! You're saying that I'm…"

Carla and Amber looked at each other. Carla's face softened.

"We just think you should see the nurse…isn't that right Amber?"

The other girl just shrugged. But Alexis shook her head.

"No…it can't be…It only happened once…"

Both girls keyed on that little comment at once. Amber bit down on a laugh.

"Once? So you did get out of the dungeon one night."

Alexis didn't say anything, just looked down at her hands. Carla sat next to her on the bed.

"When was that?"

Alexis shrugged, her hair spilling over her face.

"One night…a couple months ago. I snuck out and went to town. Just once to see what it was like."

Amber rolled her eyes.

"Didn't you use anything? Well of course you didn't but what about him? Guys carry them you know."

Alexis just didn't know what any of this had to do with her. She'd just gotten the flu that's all. Maybe she'd been so busy studying for finals that she hadn't taken care of herself, got rundown. That could happen couldn't it?

"Who was it?"

Alexis shrugged. Amber smirked.

"Hah she doesn't even know. That good huh?"

Alexis gritted her teeth.

"It was some guy…maybe from town…he certainly wasn't from the boys school."

Amber sighed.

"Lucky for you. So did he have a name?"

Alexis didn't answer right away.

"See you don't know," Amber said, "I guess I had you pegged wrong as the ice princess."

Alexis hated that nickname and she didn't know why. She wrapped her arms around herself feeling bewildered and embarrassed the way her friends looked at her. All she'd wanted to do was to slip into another person's skin for the night and be someone besides some frumpy girl cast off on some rich man's island with some life made up by someone else. Nothing about it felt real to her.

If anyone was going to make up a fake life for her it should be her right?

Carla sighed.

"Well, I really do think you should see the nurse. She'll help you figure out what's wrong."

Amber shrugged.

"If you're knocked up, they'll just lock you up in that special room so you can't run away with your baby's daddy before the parents come to fetch you."

Alexis had heard those stories too though thought they seemed made up. Now she didn't feel so sure. But no, she just had the flu, so it might be someone else caught up in that.

But not her.

* * *

Blake walked into the apartment.

"Julian, you ready to hit the Psych final or you planning on ditching it?"

He looked up at his friend.

"I'll be there in a minute…"

Blake laughed.

"That's what you always say. But it starts in 10 minutes and you know how Professor Collins is about late comers."

Julian knew having cut it close already but he'd been buckling down with his studying to please the old man. He knew his father had plans for him, plans different than those for his siblings. He'd been separated from the fold and sent to school. After he got his degree from here it'd be into one of the top MBA programs in the country.

He'd flirted with instead applying for journalism programs at schools like Northwestern and Columbia University but he knew better than to challenge his father on the issue.

This morning he'd gotten up early, did his morning run and then hit some breakfast with his two roommates. He'd meant to crack the books for some last minute studying but when he reached inside his desk to pull them out, his hand caught something instead.

It'd been a broken necklace with a locket attached to it that he'd found under the front seat of his car when he'd been cleaning it out.

Obviously not his necklace and while he'd entertained…several women in the backseat of his car none of them seemed to fit with the necklace.

It was obviously old, classically designed and when he'd tried to open the locket, it wouldn't budge. Probably stuck from getting broken perhaps in his car. He thought of that one girl he'd picked up…Alex or something.

The one who'd looked young under all that makeup and hairspray. The one whose skin had felt so soft underneath his fingertips and whose breath felt warm against his cheek. She'd been shy with him at first but had relaxed enough for him to know she enjoyed being with him. He'd thought about her sometimes after that night, he wondered about her. She'd shown up one night at the Radcliff's bar out of the blue and then disappeared.

Maybe she'd got caught breaking curfew and faced restrictions. After Christmas he'd be leaving on his exchange abroad program to Italy, more specifically an international business program in Milan. His father's wishes of course.

He also remembered the three men in the bar that other night and hoped whoever Natasha was, that she didn't cross paths with them. He had some idea by now what men like that were capable of doing.

But his own life was about to change once again.

He knew his father was grooming him much different than his brothers but he didn't know for what.

* * *

Alexis woke up inside the nurse's office. She'd been waiting to see her outside alongside a girl who'd cut herself washing dishes and might need stitches.

She didn't remember falling asleep and suddenly she was lying on the couch and the nurse was looking down at her.

"You feeling okay? You looked quite pale when we brought you in here."

Alexis felt dazed.

"What happened?"

"You fainted. You've been feeling sick. There is that flu making its rounds right now."

Alexis nodded.

"I'm sure that's what it is…it just won't go away."

The nurse shrugged.

"Sometimes it's just like that with some patients. Well, we can run some blood work, to make sure that's what it is. We need to run some other tests so I'll need urine as well."

"I…why if it's just the flu?"

The nurse looked directly at her.

"You haven't been sexually active recently," she said, "You know had intercourse."

Alexis tried to sit up.

"What…why are you asking that?"

The nurse rested a hand on her shoulder.

"You're a teenaged girl. It happens occasionally that one of the students finds herself that way. But if you haven't had sex then it shouldn't be an issue and the test will come back negative."

Alexis felt apprehension fill her. She'd never really thought about that. Oh my god…what if, but she couldn't afford to think that way. It was impossible…no one got pregnant their first time. At least that's what she'd heard the other girls say.

Back on the Island she'd never had anyone explain to her much about such things. She knew as she got older the other men, cousins she'd been told but she didn't believe it had changed the style of their teasing and their friends they invited over were worse. Her aunt seemed distant about most things and there were no other young women living on the island. No one to prepare her for when her body started changing, getting curvier and on top…she'd learned to hide those under her clothes as not to draw attention to herself. If it hadn't been for her cousin Stefan…but he wasn't here with her now.

If she got pregnant, she knew Mikkos would come for her and take her back to the prison she'd left behind her.

The nurse brought her a glass of water and she sipped it slowly.

"Now let's see about doing those tests…"


	22. Chapter 22

Julian waited on the phone to hear back from his associate. The one that had called him interrupting his conversation with Alexis in the hospital room.

He both welcomed that and cursed it at the same time. He almost took the easy route and took the phone call as the fastest way out of hearing Alexis talk about their one night stand years ago. Then he wanted to ignore the phone call and say to hear more of what she had to say. Not knowing of course that she was talking to him right now.

The flashes of guilt that he knew and she didn't almost drove him to tell her the truth several times, but then again, this phone call reminded him of why he couldn't divulge his identity. His sister had warned him of that more than once and she was right.

They had a job to do in PC to retake territory that'd been stolen from them by a two-bit hood named Sonny Corinthos and his pathetic organization. The first strike would be a definitive one, sending the message to Corinthos that there was a new game in town. The beauty of it that he hadn't had to do most of the work. Once again, Sonny had proven to be his own worst enemy.

Connie's murder had triggered it and it'd handled A.J. as well. Now the Jeromes could advance on two fronts.

He didn't dig too deeply to figure out who really killed his employee. He already knew how to handle it at the right time.

The caller returned to the phone.

"You made the transfer," he said, "Good I'll get back to you when it's time."

He snapped off his phone. He should be heading back to the office soon to continue his research. But he found himself not wanting to head back.

Alexis had left the room to go meet with Molly and her friend Rafe, she'd mentioned earlier eating out with them. Sam had gone to do lunch on a rare outing of the hospital with that Silas guy. He didn't know how he felt about that, but mostly because he worried about his sister.

He and Ava were ready to launch the plan and once that started there'd be no going back. Others would join them soon enough. A grieving Sonny Corinthos wouldn't know what hit him or his organization until it was too late.

And yet, he'd been making excuses not to take that definitive step. He'd come to PC a man on a mission that he'd prepared years for and within three days, his whole world had turned upside down.

A beautiful daughter, an ill grandson who needed saving and…the woman that loved and he knew would protect both of them. He saw that the night he'd met Alexis in the Floating Rib. He'd just gone there to drink a couple of beers and kick back away from the frenetic pace at the office.

Not to mention stepping away from the master plan just to breathe and be Derek Wells and not Julian Jerome.

But when he noticed the beautiful woman, her back turned to him talking to the bartender, he'd gotten out of his chair to go talk to her before he even knew what to say.

So he tried some old pickup lines, put on the charm. He'd been picking up women since he was in college. But she'd just looked at him and then Mac, the bartender had hassled him obviously protective of Alexis. That didn't bother him but then when he joked about her being 12, she'd responded that she'd been 16 when she had Sam, without missing a beat. Something flashed in her hazel eyes and he knew that his crassness had exacted its price.

So he'd apologized. Then she'd remembered him as Derek Wells the publisher who was running a story on the Danny Morgan bone marrow drive…on the front page only…he'd bumped it for the ELQ scandal. Oh she lit into him for that, eyes flashing and telling him off.

Julian didn't much like when people did that and usually he checked them quickly but when it came to someone trying to fight for her grandson's life, he listened. Even when she told him no one gave a damn about the latest Q scandal. His own excuses felt weaker in his own ears able to stand up to her combination of clear logic and unmistakable love for her family.

The last thing he saw before he left the bar was her talking with the overprotective bartender and not happily. He just stared, trying to remember…something about her he just couldn't shake. He almost couldn't walk away from it and her.

But he figured he'd burned a bridge or two with her, at least for now. He wasn't out to build many in PC but the conversation left him bothered.

Like he said though, business decision right?

A move on his part to get the game plan with ELQ back on track had exacted some collateral damage already. He had volunteered to be swabbed for the donor drive to make it right as if he hadn't had to decide at all.

That was back before he knew the truth that did what most things couldn't do, nearly knocked him off his feet.

He had family all this time. His life wouldn't ever be the same again.

Julian started walking back and ran into Mac who had walked into the lobby from a nearby hallway.

"Hello…"

Mac shot him a look.

"Mr. Wells…"

Julian thought about having him call him Derek but knew Mac wouldn't go for it. He'd been the last police commissioner before the current one and that had left him tending bar in the Floating Rib. But once a cop always a cop.

"I take it you're here to see Danny."

Julian nodded.

"I am…and he's doing as well as can be expected. Still have to wait and see…"

Mac paused.

"You seem awfully interested in Danny's welfare. Most donors stay anonymous after all."

Julian tilted his face.

"I'm not like most donors. I want to make sure that he pulls through this and has a happy and healthy life."

"I see…well he and his mother Sam have been through hell this past year," he said, "more than anyone should have to face."

"I'm sorry about that…"

Mac stared at him.

"Alexis has too…it's been a difficult year for a lot of people."

"You seem to care for her a lot," Julian said, "I noticed that the other night in the bar."

Mac folded his arms.

"You're right about that. The last thing she needs in her life is some guy picking her up with some lines."

Julian was about to respond but Mac's phone vibrated and he picked it up.

"Thanks for calling back…anything on our guy Jerry?"

He looked at Julian.

"Excuse me…"

Julian watched him go, wondering if this meant the rumors about Jerry Jacks' death being exaggerated were true.

* * *

Alexis left Molly and Rafe and headed back to the hospital. She wondered if Derek had already left to go back to his office.

She didn't know how to feel about that…or him. When she'd been talking about Sam's father with him he'd seemed interested.

Maybe the words spilled too freely but she didn't feel like a need to be ashamed of it. After all, she'd done nothing wrong and maybe if she stopped hiding it away and acting like it she'd accepted that.

It'd been like that when she'd spilled the info to him in the lobby and he'd not only seemed interested but he prompted her with questions. Blame that on the reporter side of him no doubt but thinking back when she'd said the name had been an unusual one…something on his face. The way his eyes studied her.

He'd been invested in the answer to her answers by that point. More than she'd been in providing them.

Sometimes she didn't get men. Most of the time she didn't get men. But then look at her track record with them…one train wreck after the other.

She never felt like herself around them. In the courtroom or the boardroom, she felt supremely confident, intelligent and what many had called, a real ballbuster. But put her in the room with a man and all that slipped away…she chalked it up to not liking the feeling of being vulnerable.

Male friends abounded even close ones like her first husband Jax, her first almost husband Ned, her almost boyfriend Mac and Luke. The last had given her something no one had ever done, her identity.

He had also made her remember.

"Hey Alexis…."

She glanced up and saw Liz who was filling out some forms at the nurse's station.

"Hi Liz…how are things going with you and the boys?"

Liz beamed.

"Wonderful. We're heading out to the beach house for a vacation when things settle down here."

Alexis sighed.

"If they ever do…"

"How's Danny doing? I haven't had time to check on my shift. I guess Felix is doing it."

Alexis smiled.

"He was sleeping when De…when I was visiting him."

"That's great. I really hope he gets better," she said, "He's a brave little boy."

Alexis heard the mixture of emotions in Liz's voice and knew she meant it. She heard from Nikolas that he'd been spending time with Liz before this whole enabling episode with Britt. The latest that he'd texted that he couldn't come to the hospital because he'd walked in on the woman giving birth right on the floor with the nurse named Sabrina helping her.

Never a dull moment in PC…but with focusing on Danny and Sam and spending most of her time at the hospital…she missed a lot of the news.

"How are things going with you?"

Liz shrugged.

"I…broke up with A.J."

Alexis saw the strained look on the young woman's face.

"That must have been hard," she said, "I read he's facing murder charges for Connie's death."

Liz nodded.

"He's not guilty. I know it. But Dianne's doing her best to get him released but he's a flight risk."

"Well Liz, he fled the country before and hid out to avoid going to prison," Alexis said, "So I'm surprised the judge denied bail."

Liz bit her lip.

"But I know he didn't do it. He's innocent. And it's so hard on Michael."

A lot of things were hard on Michael…hell life was tough for Kristina too and being a girl-child, she got less attention than Sonny's sons.

"So enough on me, how's your life going…aside from Danny…"

Alexis shrugged.

"Just doing some legal work but not much," she said, "and well like I said, been pretty busy."

Liz got paged and looked at it.

"Damn, a woman gave birth in someone's house," she frowned, "That looks like Nikolas' house."

Alexis nodded.

"I know…he texted me and mentioned it. Are they coming to GH?"

Liz looked concerned.

"I don't know…there's complications. I got to find a doctor stat."

Alexis watched the nurse run off towards the ER and found herself remembering her own experience years ago…


	23. Chapter 23

**Earlier….1980, Chatham, New Hampshire**

Alexis looked out the window of the chalet nestled in the forested mountains that cloaked Chatham, a small town of only several hundred people. The snow had melted and she looked forward to walking outside on the footpath around the estate.

The people who managed the property let her take daily walks as long as she stayed on the paths. There was nowhere else to go as the nearest house was over three miles away and town, at least ten miles down some curving, narrow roads through hillsides and valleys.

Hidden away, far away from where anyone could find her. Arrangements made by Mikkos who had put her on a private jet from the Island's air strip to London, then to JFK and then she'd been picked up by a chaperone to bring her to her new home.

Several suitcases with some room for books but not much else. Once her body started changing, so did her outfits every several weeks.

She'd been staying at the chalet owned by a cousin of the family after being shipped off Cassadine Island before she'd started showing. God, all she'd wanted was to leave that hated prison. Two months of being tucked away and still Helena found ways to terrorize her. Alexis didn't know what had happened with the matriarch of the estate but she'd been worse than ever.

Mikkos he spent most of his time away from the household with three of his brothers, shrouded in the usual secrecy. None of whom looked at Alexis with anything but icy resentment.

Stavros had been out of school for a term and was being tutored on the island. Alexis heard rumors around the household that he'd been kicked out of another college. He scared her even more than Helena sometimes.

She slept in her old cramped room barricading it with her chest of drawers at night. Only allowing Stefan her cousin close enough and he'd be leaving to go back into military service in the Greek army.

Then the day had come when Mikkos issued an order that she was to pack and board the jet, no questions slipping out of the house just before dawn. Barely anytime to pack. The sudden urgency told her that something happened

Now she lived here, with an older woman named Molly who took care of her. Not overly affectionate, more like efficient and Alexis knew she'd gotten her orders from Mikkos. But she made sure Alexis didn't go hungry, had a warm bed to sleep in and maternity clothes to wear.

A doctor brusque but not unkind checked on her every couple of weeks. She most definitely didn't look forward to those visits. She spent her days reading from the expansive library in front of the fire place, her legs curled beneath her in a chair until that became impossible.

She walked breathing in the cool crisp air more so unlike the Island, pulling a thick woolen coat on her expanding body and a scarf around her head and neck. Her thick brown hair had grown longer and lost of its curl.

At night she lay in bed trying to sleep, her arms around her abdomen, in sleep she knew she had a life to protect. She dreamed of the Island and woke up in a sweat.

It'd taken her a couple of months to accept that her one night being someone else had gotten her pregnant. Still it hadn't become real to her until her body started changing, her clothes feeling tighter and what the doctor referred to as, the bump. Then she'd felt overwhelmed, with fear because she didn't understand what was happening and ashamed, because Helena had made sure she bore the humiliation of carrying and bearing a bastard child.

Helena had slipped up during one of her diatribes and mentioned that she'd been like her mother. Alexis just stared at her.

"My mother?"

Helena had sneered.

"She had a bastard child too which was you."

That confounded Alexis because she thought…her mother had died before she went and lived with the woman named Sophia Davidovitch and she'd been married to her father. But before she could say anything Helena had left the building.

At least that woman who'd hated her as long as she could remember was far away. Along with the rest of the Cassadines. But Alexis felt so damn lonely…more so than she'd ever felt in her life. All she'd known was long periods of isolation and neglect broken up by episodes of intimidation and violence. She didn't know anything else…whether it was affection or interest let alone love.

She rubbed her abdomen remembering the night she'd gotten pregnant. The boy she'd been with, older than those at the prep school, he'd been nice to her, friendly and when they'd been outside, he'd given her his leather jacket to wear against the bitter cold.

They'd talked some…but not much. Then they'd gone inside his car and he'd turned the radio on, music wafting through the car and…

She forced the images away because after all, she'd never seen him again. He'd driven her back to the school afterward and that had been that. He could easily go back to his life seamlessly as if nothing ever happened and she…she'd been reminded every day since.

The child had no name to her, no face. She barely remembered what the boy had looked like who'd gotten her pregnant. His name…no she must never think of it.

Then the baby kicked when she'd been looking out into a snowstorm one morning. It'd caught her by surprise and she felt it with her hand.

And she smiled to herself.

Harsh reality hit her as it always did when she remembered Mikkos' words.

It wasn't her baby to raise. It had been arranged for it to be put up for adoption after it was born. She'd been too ashamed and too scared to challenge him.

Caressing her abdomen she wondered what it'd be like to hold her baby in her arms. The first thing in her life that belonged to her.

She didn't remember her own childhood but she'd given one to her son or daughter. She didn't know how but she'd find a way to keep the two of them together.

As each day passed and the baby grew, and kicked inside of her, she told herself no one would ever take her baby away from her.

* * *

**Milan, Italy**

Julian left the university building to go off to hit an open café to eat before heading to afternoon lectures. He'd been in the city on the study abroad program for a couple months and enjoyed it. The course material didn't challenge him and the bars and discos were open all night, attracting large crowds.

He met up with William and Celeste a couple that had come from the same college back in the States that he did and lived together in a tiny apartment two blocks away from his own housing. They'd traveled around Italy together when they weren't in school. His father, Victor kept in touch of him reminding him of his own plans for his life.

But Julian didn't want to take that path. He enjoyed his business courses but he did some writing for the University newspaper on the side, once he became fluent in the native language.

It kept him busy and his father called him once a week, complaining about some guy named Frank Smith who ran some territory he wanted to control himself someday. Some hick town named Port Charles in New York State that was deemed a prize to the Jerome's own business interests because of its harbor ideal form shipping lanes between there and up and down the coast not to mention Europe.

He'd thought about that girl from the bar, Alex who he'd tried to check on before he left for Christmas break back home in New Jersey. He still held onto the locket that he'd found in his car and he felt pretty sure it belonged to her. So he'd tried to find her to give it back to her, thinking it might be a family heirloom.

But she'd been gone by then, heading somewhere for the holiday break no doubt. He'd been looking at the locket again later that night when in walked William and Celeste after a night of partying in downtown.

Celeste smiled at him, removed her colorful scarf and went to talk to him.

"Julian you should have come with," she said, "The concert was bravissimo."

He glanced at her.

"I had an article to finish for the paper," he said, "on the international trade summit last week."

Celeste didn't seem too thrilled with that. He knew that she and William would be heading to his bedroom soon. But she spotted the locket.

"Hey what's that…?"

He gave it to her and she examined it.

"It's very old…where did you get it?"

"It belonged to a woman. I found it in my…apartment back at college."

She pursed her lips.

"You must have been a real ladies' man if you're anything like your brother."

He ignored that.

"I thought I could give it to her but she had left the school."

Celeste frowned.

"I think I remember seeing one like that when I was visiting my sister at Briarton Griggs Academy, you know Amber?"

No he didn't but he knew that Blake his buddy from college had picked up a girl from a bar once named that.

"Well she knew a girl who was roomies with one of her friends," she said, "A rather strange girl from Europe, a real bookworm."

"What'd she look like?"

She smirked at him.

"You interested?"

"I asked a question…"

She sighed.

"Dark brown hair, hazel eyes I guess," She said, "but she had a locket kind of like that one."

"You know her name?"

She paused.

"I don't remember…it was months ago but Amber told me that she left suddenly before the term ended. Literally was there one day, gone the next. She never came back."

He didn't say anything.

"Why you asking the questions Julian? Don't tell me you have a thing for high school girls?"

"It doesn't sound like her…"

She shrugged and then went to drag William into the kitchen to grab some wine before heading out to the balcony, leaving Julian alone.

Questions, but no answers. Just as well, he thought as he went to pour himself a glass of bourbon.


	24. Chapter 24

Julian woke up in his bed, his head filled with images of a night long ago, from his dreams. He'd been younger then and unaware of the consequences of the night he spent with Alexis in the back seat of his car.

It'd been 1981 in the autumn and he'd been in grad school in Cambridge, after doing most of his MBA program at Harvard University in Boston. It'd been a brisk evening and he'd walked into a pub where the televisions hadn't shown the usual cricket or rugby games but instead broadcast a story live out of the small town of Port Charles.

Apparently a nefarious plot had been uncovered that some madmen and his brothers were trying to control the weather and freeze the town as a test run against turning the entire planet into a block of ice.

Farfetched like something out of a science fiction novel but it'd really happened. Only a ragtag team of top secret agents from some unnamed organization had thwarted the plot but not before PC had been frozen.

Julian shook his head wondering if it were some kind of made up story until the faces of the parties responsible began to splash up on the screen.

His eyes widened as he saw the faces of men named Mikkos Cassadine, the mastermind behind the scheme who was now deceased along with his brother Tony Cassadine.

Mikkos didn't look familiar to Julian but Tony sure did…as did the mug shot of the only member of the plot to have survived long enough to be arrested.

Victor Cassadine.

He'd be looking at spending the rest of his life in prison. Mikkos had a wife named Helena, an old photo of her hit the screen, a statuesque woman with the eyes of a killer. She was in seclusion with her children on the Island compound which had been overrun with agents from assorted intelligence agencies.

Video of two young men, who were the offspring of Mikkos and Helena were shown leaving the compound with burly men around them.

Bodyguards most likely.

Then a young woman with dark brown curly hair and a lithe figure. Julian's eyes sharpened on that one, as no name was given for her. Had she been a relative or just a servant being escorted out of the compound before it was raided?

His heart stopped a moment, damn she looked familiar. Very pretty but walking well behind the two men, dressed in black slacks and a top.

He watched and then he focused on what was going on in his corner of the world, a meeting with a prospective businessman for an internship.

He'd woken up and remembered that day back over 30 years ago. He didn't know why he'd dreamed about it…except he'd done more archived research and had been reading about a Dimitri Cassadine, who'd been a cousin of Mikkos who'd gone after the Quartermaine fortune in the mid-1980s.

That had intrigued him. The Qs had been vulnerable to attacks and takeovers during their turbulent history and anything that had defeated them, he might use himself. No need to reinvent the wheel. So his research had spilled over into his dreams.

He got out of bed and ran six miles to the waterfront and back before showering to get ready to head to the office. He'd stop at the hospital to check on Danny and pick up some breakfast for his daughter and perhaps her mother knowing they'd be there.

Sam had warmed up to him quickly…but Alexis had been a different story. Oh they had their moments and he enjoyed getting a rise out of her….but she seemed to be watching him carefully. He supposed she'd do that with any stranger getting close to her family. The woman wasn't anything if a lioness watching her young, he noticed from the time he met her in PC.

The revelation that she hadn't raised Sam had shocked him. He'd just assumed…especially them being so close. But yeah, it made sense with her being only 16 when her daughter had been born. She didn't seem like the kind of person to give up a child easily. He picked up enough from her casual retelling of her history to guess it hadn't been that way…where had he been and what had he been doing the day of his daughter's birth?

He didn't even know her birthday or Danny's for that matter. So much he didn't know about either and the learning curve…it'd be steeper what with Ava pressuring him to put their plan into action.

After getting dressed, he got into his car and drove to GH, turning on the radio which broadcast the latest developments in the case of Franco and his brain tumor. He couldn't find a good music station yet, maybe he'd just have to buy one.

His phone rang. He picked it up seeing it was dear old sis.

"Julian…where the hell are you?"

"Good morning to you too Ava. I'm heading…I'll be at the office by noon."

He heard her sigh.

"That late? I see that you're still researching the Cassadine dynasty…instead of the Sonny's Asian connection."

"Wait, you've been in my office," he said, "I told you that you can't keep showing up at the newspaper building. People will start noticing if they don't already."

"Same thing if you keep hanging around Samantha Morgan and her baby as if you even belong there. Sam's the spawn of a one night stand you had with Alexis decades ago. Get over it already."

He sighed.

"Like you and Silas…"

"That's different…and you know it."

He took a deep breath, exhaling it slowly.

"I told you my family is my business. Stay out of it and stay away from them."

She snorted.

"I thought I was family Julian. You were always the brother I wanted…and face it I'm the only sister you have left."

He fell silent unable to argue with that.

"I need to talk to you later," Ava said, "and if it can't be at your office, then where?"

He turned onto the street leading to the hospital.

"It can be at the office," he said, "Just make sure you break some crystal before you leave."

He clicked off his phone and turned into the parking lot of GH.

* * *

Alexis handed Olivia another tissue not knowing what else to do. The woman had been hysterical for several days and had now softened to crying jags. Still no one had found Sonny and none of Olivia's visions had aided in that search.

"Do you ever get visions Alexis?"

No…she didn't not that she could filter any through given that she had that image of Derek in his briefs seared on the brain. Not that she'd ever admit that. Her own daughter had looked at her like a little girl who just learned that her parents had sexual lives too and didn't know how she felt about that. Derek, hell no she'd ever admit it to him. She knew he must have laughed at her as she left the exam room. God, she'd been embarrassed and did he make it easier by covering himself up as most men would? Noooo…he just stood there in his skivvies coming up with excuses to get her to look at him.

Hah! She proved too smart to fall for them. But that didn't mean she didn't um…check him out when she'd left. That was practically instinctual among women wasn't it, blame it on that.

For some reason he enjoyed getting a rise out of her, making her squirm and it had started…well she'd have to think about that. But she knew that it wasn't one-sided. He'd been off balance when she'd been staring him before they left to go to said exam room. He'd covered it well but she wondered why he did that.

So what if she thought she'd seen him before? Hadn't he said the same thing when he came up to her at the bar? Part of her own comments was back at you…though not all of it. Because she really did think she'd seen him somewhere before…even the way he'd looked at her then.

"I mean I don't know if everyone else has visions or it's just me."

Alexis blinked her eyes.

"I don't know…I don't know."

But she did have a young daughter who played with the Ouija board, did that count?

"Oh…I was so hoping I could find Sonny by now."

Alexis patted her on the shoulder.

"Maybe it's best to leave him alone for a while," she said, "He's probably mourning Connie…and not ready to face anyone."

Olivia frowned.

"He didn't really love her. He and I…never mind."

Alexis shrugged and said goodbye. She looked across the room and saw Derek. No, she didn't just imagine him…she left Olivia with some platitude and walked towards him.

"Hi…how's Danny?"

She smiled at him.

"He's eating well. That's a great sign. Sam's with him now."

He nodded. She eyed the bag in his hand.

"What's that? It smells good."

He lifted it up.

"Breakfast for both of you. I know you're probably tired of cafeteria food by now."

She eyed him carefully.

"Yes definitely but really you didn't have to go through all this trouble…we're both fine."

"I'm sure…but the chorizo burritos are supposed to be very good."

She smiled, taking the bag from him.

"Thanks…look it's not that I don't appreciate it but…"

She didn't finish.

"I wanted to do it. I had an early morning working on a story for the weekend edition…"

She arched a brow.

"Oh another Q scandal?"

He shook his head.

"No, on Jerry Jacks…"

The smile fell off of her face and she just stared at him.

"Jerry Jacks? Why on earth would you write about him? Besides didn't you just do a retrospective on when he poisoned the city's water supply last year?"

"I did…but the readers' response."

She shook her head.

"No…look the man's dead. He could have killed thousands of innocent people including…well fortunately it was stopped. He was shot to death."

"So I heard. Look Alexis it's just a story."

She stared at him long and hard, her lips pressed in a firm line.

"No it's not…"

Then she walked away from him leaving him in her wake though she did take breakfast with her.


	25. Chapter 25

Julian had watched Alexis walk away again. Clearly she didn't like the fact that his newspaper was doing another retrospective on Jerry Jacks.

His reporter had tried to track down brother Jax in Europe but couldn't find him. There'd been a tip that Luke Spencer was following some lead that might involve the dead man. He continued walking towards his grandson's hospital room and saw both Alexis and Sam in there standing watch.

Sam beamed when she saw him. Alexis glanced at him and then back at Danny.

"How's the little guy?"

Sam brushed a strand of loose hair out of her face.

"He's doing well. Had breakfast this morning," she said, "Thanks for the takeout. It was nice of you."

He smiled back.

"No problem…Alexis how are doing?"

She just stared back at him arms folded. Sam looked at the two of them, gesturing with a finger.

"Did you two…you didn't have a…"

Sam didn't know how to finish the statement. Alexis smiled at her daughter.

"No everything's fine sweetheart," she said, "We just have a disagreement about whether PC needs to read another installment on the Life and Death of Jerry Jacks."

Sam winced.

"Ouch…"

She looked at Derek.

"You doing a story on him?"

Now both women, mother and daughter looked at him. Normally he was more than fine with being outnumbered but these two women…were formidable. Not that he minded…it was his favorite place to be right now.

"A follow up on the last article…"

Sam sighed.

"The guy's psychotic and downright evil," she said, "and you can quote me on that…"

He narrowed his eyes digesting that while she continued.

"He did a lot of bad things and the world's a better place now that he's dead…"

She turned to her mother.

"I'm going to go check on Spinelli. He's been going through a lot right now and I want to make sure he's okay."

Alexis nodded.

"Tell him hi for me…and if he needs anything…"

Sam left the room which of course left her alone with Derek Wells, newspaper publisher. Fine with her, she'd focus on her grandson.

He walked up to stand next to her but she didn't look at him.

"Alexis…I'm sorry.

She shrugged.

"You don't have to apologize. It's a judgment call, I get that."

"Do you?"

She glanced at him.

"Oh I do…but I also meant what I said about it not just being a judgment call…or front page story to some of us."

"But he is dead…that's got to mean something."

She furrowed her brow.

"Some people seem to have more lives than a cat."

He frowned.

"Meaning…"

"They don't stay dead," she said, "That's Jerry Jacks…he just keeps coming back to wreak some havoc on PC. Once is just never enough…sometimes I keep expecting him to come back still…but if he does, I'll be ready this time."

He digested that.

"Ready…"

She nodded.

"No one will ever have the chance to harm my girls…or my family," she said, "I'll make sure of that."

She didn't raise her voice or say it in a threatening tone, she just said it as if it were already fact and it also told him how far she'd go. This was a woman not to be messed with when it came to family.

He could respect that.

"Look I'm not the one to tell you what to publish," She said, "Been there done that already but I think I'll be passing on that edition."

"Fair enough…"

But he'd made a note mentally that would ensure she never had to worry about Jerry Jacks again. He'd make sure of it.

* * *

Carly walked through the hallways of GH, looking for Franco. He'd been cleared of all murder charges thanks to Dianne but she still worried for him. She didn't know why, what it was about him that drew her closer…something familiar but no it couldn't be that.

It'd all been the brain tumor and that allowed herself to feel free at last of any guilt she had towards hanging out with him. Yes, he'd done all these horrendous things including to her family but Dianne had held the evidence in a specimen jar of why he was absolutely blameless.

Still she had admitted under oath that she didn't trust him with her children so that left his redemption incomplete.

Ellie walked up to her, her red hair tied behind her in a braid. Carly felt wary of the young lab tech just like she did anyone who filled that position at GH.

"You looking for anyone?"

Carly drummed her fingernails on the counter impatiently.

"I'm looking for Franco…"

Ellie checked her notes.

"Weren't you looking for Franco last week," she said, "I mean weren't you on the roof with us?"

Carly nodded. She'd been the most important person there after all and Franco's staunchest supporter now. Yes, she'd been getting texts about Sonny going off the deep end…again but she'd been busy with testifying for Franco in court.

"Do you know where he is now?"

Ellie shrugged.

"I don't know…he seemed to be getting better," she said, "but really I've been busy with my own problems. Spinelli and I broke up."

Carly frowned.

"Who? Spinelli? Whatever. I need to find Franco, so do you know where I might find him?"

Ellie didn't know what to do though calling security was an option. But then they'd had their hands full when Lulu had called them on Maxie and that house of cards was truly coming down fast.

"I don't know…I'm just a lab tech."

Carly stared at her.

"No one who works for GH is just a lab tech."

Ellie didn't know what to tell her and she saw security breaking up Maxie and Lulu so she decided she needed to stay away from there.

Besides it seemed like the security forces had it all under control.

* * *

Alexis and Derek made small talk about the benefit gala being held at the Metro Court next week. News was that Ava was trying to use it to host a belated wedding party for Kiki and Morgan, which Carly had no choice but to go along with.

"It sounds…eventful but I'm passing," she said, "I'll be here until my grandson is ready to go home with his mama and besides…in case you've noticed, Carly and I don't mix well."

"I did but…she was rude about Sam and you did what a mother should."

She digested that and studied his face. Not conventionally handsome perhaps, but strongly built and rugged. A thin scar over one eyebrow.

"I think I'm trying to make up for the years I lost with her…"

He couldn't tell her he'd wondered how to do the same thing without giving his secret away.

"How'd you find her?"

Alexis didn't say anything for a long moment.

"I didn't…Her husband…Jason told me when…well I was shocked," she said, "Because my father had told me that my daughter died not long after birth. I didn't believe it and asked for proof and he showed me the death certificate."

Derek looked stunned but she supposed anyone might be at that story.

"Why would anyone do it?"

She shrugged.

"If I believed my daughter was dead, I'd never go back and find her. There were other reasons…my family is…"

Molly walked into the room with Rafe tailing behind her carrying a copy of her latest novel. She'd been autographing copies at the PC bookstore all morning.

"So how's Danny? Any changes?"

Alexis shook her head.

"But he's not getting any infections…and that's a good sign."

Molly seemed happy by that news and glanced at Derek.

"You're still here."

"Yes I am…checking on my bone marrow."

She smiled.

"How's the newspaper? I mean that's what you do isn't it?"

"Just fine…I'll be heading back to check on the copy," he said, "including articles for the weekend edition."

She narrowed her eyes.

"You need a section just for teens," she said, "Older teens written by teens."

He nodded.

"That's an idea…there's going to be changes to the _Press_." Maybe that'll be one of them."

He had to leave to head back to the office and after he exited the Davis women and Rafe looked at Danny in his crib. Molly and Rafe started talking to the little boy who'd just woken up.

Alexis stood and watched unable to believe what she'd told Derek about the past. She found opening up to him of all people easier than anyone else. Maybe because as a stranger he didn't judge her for what happened years ago.

Still a part of her wondered…


	26. Chapter 26

_**Earlier…. May 1982**_

Alexis walked up the steps on her way to the coffee spot after her last class. She'd just finished her midterm in Russian history, a subject she knew in her sleep. In fact, she'd spoken in class discussions about it impressing her professor. He'd asked her out for coffee but she'd declined, saying she had a meeting with the pre-law club.

Studies took all of her time as she was halfway through her coursework at Yale. She was of course majoring in history and poly sci but fully intended to continue her education in law school. It hadn't taken her long to make it to the top of her class and to get her membership in the honor society. She didn't know when she'd decided on law school but her cousin Stefan had helped persuade her.

"You need to get a law degree to help the family," he said, "and you're smart enough to do it."

She smiled at him, thinking of how he'd always encouraged her. He'd been the only kind Cassadine on the island after all. The only one who hadn't treated her as if she were a bastard child to be hidden away from Helena or worse.

He'd gotten her off the Island before either Helena or her son Stefan could harm her. There had been no one to shield her from the wrath of either one of them after Mikkos' death. She didn't know much of what happened only that armed police officers had raided the compound on Cassadine Island. Mikkos and brother Tony had been killed along with a woman named Alexandra Cassadine. The circumstances of their death remained unknown to her.

Victor had been taken to jail and some of the others had slipped away in the night. Helena had been left to wreak havoc and had gone to a wedding and cursed the couple. Not that Alexis paid any attention to that. She'd just been so glad to get away.

Far away.

Stefan had helped her come up with a plan to stay alive and maybe just maybe find some peace. So she'd applied to and gotten into Yale and for the first time in her life, she enjoyed herself.

Of course he'd talked her into changing her name, shortening it to Davis and so that person she became. She wanted to be someone else so she did just that.

"Alexis…you going to the mixer with Harvard tonight?"

She looked up at Lucille who'd been in her history classes and shook her head.

"Got to study for that exam…and finish up that term paper."

Lucille rolled her eyes.

"All you do is study, don't you ever want to have some fun?"

Alexis shrugged.

"I really want to make honor roll," she said, "so I got to study…"

She couldn't say the truth, that she avoided the mixers. She'd had her night when she'd pretended to be someone else and paid the price. God just to think about it, she just couldn't make herself or let herself do it. Else she'd break more than she'd already been broken.

These girls like Lucille didn't know anything. They didn't know what it was like to hold tightly onto their own flesh and blood and say goodbye.

Mikkos had told her that the baby died. He'd showed her the birth certificate and a part of her had died. But Stefan had gotten her back on her feet, telling her what was hers if she'd just claim it.

What could belong to both of them.

So she'd finished high school with a tutor and then gone to Yale to try to start over.

"You should really get out more Alexis," Lucille pushed, "There's a good party tonight. Plenty of guys."

She couldn't be less interested.

"No thanks…like I said got to study."

"Whatever…"

Lucille walked away and Alexis just thought about her books waiting for her. They were safe, they couldn't hurt her, they'd set her free.

She blinked her eyes.

"Who are you?"

The young man with the dark hair looked down at her before helping her up.

"You okay?"

She looked at him. He looked handsome. Not like the other guys who wore sweaters. He wore a jacket and jeans.

"I'm fine," she said, "I could have handled him."

She'd been walking back to her dorm with another student who she met up with at the coffee joint. She'd avoided the party to study and he'd seemed so nice. So interested in her and she'd wanted to forget.

Every year around this time she missed her, the baby wrapped in pink that she'd held for too short a time before she'd been taken from her arms.

Never to see her again. But she'd hoped her baby girl would be happy in her life…only it hadn't lasted long. Who could end a baby's life so short after she'd been born?

The guy hadn't bought her coffee, she'd been drinking brandy. She'd just wanted to forget what today was…what she hadn't told anyone.

"You're from Harvard aren't you?"

He nodded as he helped her on her feet. The guy had taken off after the man in front of her had punched him.

"Yeah…I'm on the rugby team. We'll be heading out later."

He brushed the hair out of her face without thinking.

"I want to make sure you're okay."

She nodded.

"I'm fine…really," she said, "but thanks…I don't know why I left with him. I didn't want what he wanted. I just wanted to forget…"

"What?"

She sighed, knowing she could never tell the man in front of her about her life and what she'd lost.

"It doesn't matter."

He looked at her for a long moment, looking rough around the edges, more so than most guys she'd seen at Yale. She wondered about him

Like she'd wondered about the man long ago.

"I guess I'd better be heading back now…"

He nodded.

"I'll walk with you to make sure you get back safely…"

She started to say he wasn't going to hurt her but she knew it wasn't true. If it hadn't been for this man…

"Okay…"

They walked together back to her dorm.

"So what are you doing here?"

"I'm with the team," he said, "A reserve player…"

"From Harvard?"

He nodded.

"That must be nice."

"It has its advantages…I'm in the MBA program."

They reached the dorm building but she didn't seem in a hurry to go inside.

"Thanks…I'm okay now…"

He stood there looking at her.

"You sure? If you don't mind me saying, you look sad…"

She shrugged.

"It's nothing. Just this time of year I think…"

He frowned.

"You should be happy…that it's almost the end of the school year."

She looked down at her hands.

"Yeah…I suppose…"

She looked back at him. He seemed nice enough and concerned but she really had to be going.

"I'll be fine…soon…"

Meaning like tomorrow when another anniversary had passed or at least better.

"Okay then…I'd better be going back to my teammates…"

She nodded.

"Goodbye…"

Before she slipped inside again.

* * *

He watched her as she went inside the dorm, thinking her very pretty but marked by something she'd been thinking about even before he'd come across her. He wondered what it might be that would cause the sadness he'd seen in her eyes that she'd tried to hide with a smile.

But he couldn't dwell on it, his bus would be leaving soon with his teammates.

"Hey we're leaving now," one of them said, "are you coming Julian…?"

He blinked his eyes and then turned to go.


	27. Chapter 27

Alexis wanted to wash a lot of men out of her hair this morning.

All she'd wanted was a quiet day spent with Sam overseeing Danny…it was still so touch and go with him and Silas said he couldn't do much else but watch and wait.

To see if the transplant worked and they'd be able to take him back home where he belonged.

But instead Alexis kept getting barraged with an assortment of men. First there was news about Sonny going off the deep end at the Haunted Star and a group of folks close to him were staging an intervention to keep him from killing himself over Connie.

She knew he'd never pull the trigger unless he shot someone accidently. They should just leave him alone until he came out of it. But after that, she got a phone call from her louse of an ex-husband Ric in Los Angeles who was bugging her about taking Molly out of school so he could take her to the movie premiere starring his current girlfriend.

He tried to guilt her into doing it and she bit her tongue at bringing up a litany of his past mistakes. She was improving on that area. Kevin Collins had given her some helpful advice on that.

Shawn was back in town from wherever he had been the past month and was still upset she dumped him.

"That ship has sailed and you know why," she said, "Please just let it go…"

But being a man of course he couldn't do that. After getting off the phone with him, she was exhausted. Not for the first time she was asking herself why was she still getting involved with the type of men who wound up driving her nuts? She tried to think back in her life to when she'd ever had a good relationship with a guy.

Wait, there'd been Ned Ashton and she'd almost married him until she fled the scene of their wedding. They were still friends and she'd had this feeling that he'd been hung up on his ex-Lois for a long time anyway. Her two best relationships had been with Jax and Luke and they'd been platonic friendships, maybe she should just stick to that?

The phone buzzed again and she'd thought it was Shawn...

"Listen I told you it's over between us…"

A pause and then another voice.

"It'll never be over between us darling…"

She felt ice in her veins at the sound of that voice.

"Jerry is that you?"

A chuckle.

"So you do remember me. Well, that's good because everyone in PC will remember me. I have a big surprise for them…but you will always be my favorite."

She gripped the phone.

"You need to just stay dead…if that's impossible at least stay away."

He chuckled.

"But haven't you missed me? Haven't you all missed me?"

Alexis wanted to roll her eyes because disgust was preferable to fear.

"You don't need to come here," she said, "Why not send a card instead?"

"Oh I did…my darling," he said, "It's on its way…and then I'll follow…"

She felt anger inside of her then.

"Don't come near me or any of my girls. Got it?"

He sighed.

"Alexis…you know to dissuade me from what I want is impossible…"

He had a point.

"Jerry…just stay away. Go find another obsession…for your own sake…."

"No…I'm inexplicably drawn to PC…and I want to see you. I know you'll do anything for your…girls."

She felt something much stronger than fear or even fury.

"You're right even that means killing you."

She clicked off her phone, putting it in her purse. She couldn't believe that Jerry had plans to come back to PC. Should the police know? But no, she didn't think that ever worked with a guy like him. Besides how could she prove he was still alive?

Luke would know…but he had gone missing in action once again. She didn't know if anyone knew where he was right now.

"Alexis…"

She looked up and saw Derek heading towards her. She smiled at him.

"Derek…Sam's with Silas right now going over Danny's latest regimen…his tests look promising but it's up to his body…and your bone marrow now."

He nodded.

"I'll head to the cafeteria first…I had meetings and phone conferences all morning and didn't catch a bite. You hungry?"

She looked at him a moment.

"Yeah…the Cobb Salad's not too bad here."

"I imagine you've tried everything on the menu…"

She smiled.

"Just about…"

They started walking toward the elevator which would take them to the cafeteria. After arriving, they both picked up some sandwiches and sat down at a table.

"Listen about what I told you…"

He paused taking a bite of his food.

"You mean about putting your daughter up for adoption?"

She sipped her iced tea.

"Yeah…that. I don't just talk about that part of my life with anyone. I don't know what got into me."

He looked at her carefully. She looked tired but still beautiful…something about the woman in front of him that he didn't see in other women in PC.

"It must have been hard giving up your child…"

She nodded.

"I didn't want to ever give her up…but my father. He told me there couldn't be any other way. He…my family lived under different rules, they had their own code to follow. It just…it just couldn't be…"

Derek knew all about families which had their own moral codes to follow. How sometimes it felt that they could choke you.

"What about you? What's your family like?"

He paused not knowing where to start with that one. After all, he'd spent the past decade or so rewriting his biography all for the day he'd reclaim his family's rightful place in PC.

"Pretty boring. Parents are dead. I've got brother, sisters but they have lives elsewhere."

She looked down at her sandwich.

"My family's mostly gone. Parents…siblings…aunts, uncles cousins," she said, "Well I might have some more distant relatives spread out over the world but they stay hidden."

"You miss them?"

She thought about it.

"Maybe Stefan…my half-brother," she said, "but as for the rest of them, the world's a better place without them."

She just hoped that some of them would stay dead this time.

* * *

Carly and Franco the odd pairing in PC showed up at GH because he had to get more medical testing done on his brain. She'd agreed to take him because the doctor hadn't wanted him driving yet. Sabrina helped fill out some forms.

She looked pale to Carly and she just idly hoped the girl didn't go and get herself knocked up by that playboy doctor. It'd be a fools' game.

"The doctor will be seeing him soon," Sabrina said, "She's still looking in on Britta's baby…you know the one I delivered."

Carly looked puzzled.

"Why? She's not a baby doctor is she? God, it's hard keeping all the doctors straight here."

Franco patted her arm.

"It's okay my pet. When we get done here, we'll go to the Metro Court and fix my new digs up."

Carly had found out that Franco got his own eviction notice along with the rest of the motley crew at Casa Q so she'd offered him a room in her hotel until he found a place of his own.

"I was supposed to meet Derek Wells today but he keeps canceling on me."

Franco sighed.

"You don't need to meet with him," he said, "I can help you with the Metro Court. Get it on the map."

She smiled.

"I wanted an ad campaign in his newspaper and the magazine if they replace Connie."

"You need to be careful of Derek Wells," Franco said, "I wouldn't trust him."

Carly smiled wider.

"I don't trust anyone…including you and besides it's all about business."

Franco looked concerned.

"Just be careful…"

Carly shrugged and thought, whatever. She needed some action of another kind and Franco…she didn't know how that'd work.

And Patrick, Shawn and Coleman hadn't been returning her phone calls.

* * *

Alexis went to answer a phone call from Molly leaving Julian at the table alone. He hadn't been joking when he'd said she'd looked tired.

This whole crisis had been so difficult on both the women in his life. There was so much about both of them he still didn't know. He'd been pressed for time launching the plan into action to take over Sonny's territory and Ava had been pushing him harder on it…but that didn't mean he'd be ignoring his family.

Oh what tangled webs to weave…didn't even begin to describe his situation. He'd thought it'd be simple and uncomplicated when it came to taking over the territory but that had come unraveled quickly.

He'd held his own grandson, promised him and his mother he'd be their friend. Too quick of a fallback to what he wanted. But when he thought of what he had to do, at least they wouldn't be targets.

Her mother was something else.

Beautiful. Intelligent, quick witted and fiercely protective of family. Even willing to kill for them as she'd threatened to do with Jerry on the phone.

He'd just make sure she didn't have to do that.


	28. Chapter 28

Sam and Alexis actually stepped out of GH to go to a Bistro down the street that just opened and served coffees of all flavors and amazing pastries.

They got their food and coffee and headed to the patio to sit down. Alexis had wanted to get her daughter out of the hospital if only for a little while. Sam had agreed after Silas and Liz had both reported that Danny was resting peacefully. Awaiting the latest round of blood tests which might reveal whether or not the transplant had taken.

Sam sipped her coffee.

"This is good…god I've been living on hospital coffee for so long."

"Yeah and all the types taste the same," Alexis said, "It's a beautiful day. I thought it'd be good to get outside."

There weren't many customers there and the sun hadn't been too hot. Alexis leaned back in her chair and looked at her daughter.

"So what's going on between you and Silas?"

Sam sipped her coffee considering it.

"He says I owe him a date and I don't know how I feel about that. I mean I know we kissed but he's still Danny's doctor."

"He seems nice and he seems to really like you."

"I know and I like him…I think I'm ready to go out with someone who's not…Jason."

Alexis knew how much Sam had mourned her husband's death but it'd been a year and she seemed ready to live again.

"I think you should go for it Sam. Do what it takes to be happy. You've had such a hard year."

Sam paused and Alexis knew she'd just flashed through most of it but she'd done that herself in difficult times.

The kind all you could do was try to survive them.

"So what about you and Derek?"

Alexis put down her coffee mug.

"What?"

Sam smiled.

"You and Derek. Have there been any developments since you walked in on him?"

Alexis flushed a bit. Oh that.

"We have talked…about Danny mostly."

Sam narrowed her eyes.

"Just about Danny?"

"Well no…I told him things about your father. I'm not sure why but he seems easy to talk to and there's something…"

Sam smiled.

"He seems like a nice guy even being outside Danny's bone marrow donor."

"Yeah well…he's not very shy," Alexis said, "He just stood there in his briefs asking me to fill out his forms for him..."

"Maybe he likes you."

"Maybe he's just trying to make me uncomfortable. Get under my skin."

Sam sipped her coffee.

"Well don't let him. He's just a guy after all."

Alexis frowned.

"I don't know about that Sam. There's something really familiar about him. Something that I'm missing."

Sam leaned closer.

"What do you mean? He's just been in PC a short time, since after he bought the publishing company."

"I know…but I asked him about it and he changed the subject…like he didn't want to talk about it."

Sam considered it.

"Maybe he's just a private person. He didn't want to bring attention to donating marrow to my son…"

Alexis held her coffee cup.

"Maybe…it's just strange in a way that I can't pinpoint."

Sam shrugged.

"Just have fun with It," she said, "Life is short…you got to take advantage of every moment and not look back."

Alexis bit into her Danish.

"I know but…men and I…it just never works," she said, "For one thing it seems that if they're not killing people, blowing things up or poisoning the water supply…well I'm just a stand in for the woman they really want."

"What do you mean?"

"You know, Ned and Lois…that's why I couldn't marry him…he still love the mother of his child…Sonny and Carly of course…and Ric and Liz…I just don't think that I want to be some man's benchwarmer."

"Fair enough…"

Alexis ticked a couple more bad choices on her fingertips.

"Jerry….he loved himself and his diabolical plots…and Shawn…I'm still not sure how we got together."

Sam rubbed the back of her neck.

"I think you should go for it. Ask him out to dinner."

Alexis shrugged.

"We had lunch together," she said, "but I got interrupted by…"

She didn't say who, not wanting to worry her daughter. She was still trying to figure out how to keep her girls safe from Jerry.

"Anyway, I think he's got to go through Carly first," she said, "before anyone else."

Sam sighed.

"I never got that. Really she's not all that."

"Well, I've got to focus on family…and what I want to do career wise. I'm not sure I want to keep my job."

"Really? You'd quit working for Sonny?"

Alexis sighed.

"I don't know…I haven't working much lately and I don't really miss it."

Sam shrugged.

"Do something else then? Why don't you start your own practice…there's some waterfront space open."

"There's always office space open at the waterfront. I don't know Sam. I've been thinking of a lot of things lately."

Sam sighed.

"You and me both…"

* * *

Ava cut into Julian as soon as he got off the elevator. He hoped that enough of the crystal remained a safe distance away.

"We needed to get started with the master plan like yesterday," she said, "I know that you're filling out the workman's comp forms on the reporter that Sonny punched out but every day that Sonny rules this town is a day lost to us forever."

Julian looked at his sister.

"I know that…we're going in ahead of schedule. If you hadn't messed it up with the Quartermaines…"

Ava shot him one of her deadly looks. She was rocking it in a red dress today with matching sequined purse.

"I still haven't forgotten what you did Julian but the slate is clean."

He just looked at her and suddenly he knew what she meant. But then he knew better than to trust any family particularly his sisters. There just hadn't been anyone left to partner up with to restore the territory back to the Jeromes.

"The ELQ debacle's been fixed," he said, "Time to focus on Sonny…and we've got to deal a decisive blow right away and that means taking out muscle."

Ava smirked.

"He doesn't have much. What he does, they can't shoot a target at two feet or keep someone out of Corinthos Manor."

Julian looked directly at his sister.

"Not everyone can do a shot straight to the heart."

She smiled and reached for her purse to check Twitter. As long as Julian stuck to the plan she'd be happy. But the man was weak…knock up some girl in a one night stand and suddenly his focus had shifted. She fussed with her phone.

"I mean Alexis…do you see the way she dresses?"

"Ava…this subject is closed," he said, "You have any other questions about our plan."

His sister just looked at him.

"I think that as long as you focus on what we set out to do then the answer's no."

He nodded.

"That's good…because I'm the one in charge here."

She snorted.

"You…you're the one who's being sidetracked and you better remember that…we have to go after Sonny and we have to do it now…"

Julian knew that but he'd been two steps out the door to go to the hospital and visit Danny. Alexis had been phoning him with progress reports on him. That's where he wanted to be…not with his sister. There was still so much he needed to know, so many years to make up…not that he'd ever get them back.

"I already took the first step….and soon he won't know what hit him."


	29. Chapter 29

Julian got off the phone with a man who worked for him.

"Let me get this straight you were going to bring me into PC to do a job there and now I got to go look for someone else who's not connected with this?"

Julian sighed.

"Just do what I tell you," he said, "His name is Jerry Jacks and I want him found."

"Okay…you're the boss but what about what's going on there?"

"I'll handle it…just call me when you have good news…"

He clicked off his phone and looked up to see Alexis at a table in the diner with a stack of paperwork. He'd known she was a lawyer and knew that she'd practiced some time in New York City but not recently.

He saw a Black man holding a tray of food bringing it to her and placing it in front of her and then standing there as they had a conversation.

Shawn Butler, the enforcer for Sonny and a rather hasty replacement for his predecessor. He spent part of his time running the diner.

Another phone call he had to answer from someone else in Boston.

Alexis looked up at Shawn who put her Cobb Salad in front of her. She thanked him and flipped through a legal brief that was due to be filed later that day. She'd left most of her work undone but the deadline on this one…better get it done.

"Alexis…how's Danny doing?"

She looked up at her ex-boyfriend.

"As good as can be expected," she said, "We're waiting to hear on the latest test results but he's pretty anxious to get out of his crib."

"That's good…Alexis I was going to call you and check in…"

She sighed.

"Sure you were Shawn…look when I said I wanted to move on, I meant it."

"Alexis you didn't even give me a chance to…"

She shook her head.

"Shawn I think I just got confused for a while after what happened with Jerry," she said, "but I can't give you what you want. It's just not like that for me."

He didn't seem pleased about it.

"Alexis…there's no one else is there?"

She tilted her face looking at him.

"It's not your business if there is…it's mine…"

She heard footsteps and saw that Derek had walked up to the table. He perused Shawn standing there with his arms crossed.

"This is your establishment isn't it…Mr. Butler?"

Shawn nodded, giving Derek a look.

"It is…and you're Derek Wells, the new owner of the _Press_."

Derek smiled.

"I am…we sent out a reporter to talk to you about your restaurant but you weren't here."

"I was busy…"

Derek reached into his wallet.

"Here's my card. We can try this again."

Shawn looked at it then stashed it away.

"You staying to eat," he made, "Anything you want on the house."

"Why?"

"Because you gave your bone marrow to Danny," Shawn said, "Very decent thing you did."

Derek shrugged.

"Real happy to have helped…Okay I'll have some of the veal and I'll be eating here with Ms Davis…"

Shawn's eyes narrowed but he nodded and left them.

Derek noticed that Alexis didn't look too comfortable. She looked a bit harried maybe from all the papers in front of her. He didn't know how much sleep she'd gotten since Danny had been diagnosed.

He'd seen her drink a lot of coffee.

"You look busy…"

She smiled at him.

"I'm a lawyer who's got work to catch up on from the past two months."

"What kind of law?"

"Contractual mostly but occasionally criminal."

"Where'd you study?"

She flipped through some papers to stack them up.

"Yale undergrad and law…"

"Ivy League…then."

She nodded and saw his eyes narrow slightly.

"You don't like Yale?"

"I went to Harvard…."

"Oh that explains it then…"

She laughed and he enjoyed it. She hadn't done a lot of that. He wondered what it'd been like for her after she'd met up with him. She'd told him a few details seemingly random but carefully chosen.

There were some things she likely hadn't told anyone.

"I really liked Yale…it was the first time I felt I belonged anywhere. A different kind of belonging to be around other hardcore students who spent most of their time outside of class studying. Stefan said I had to be at the top of my class. What about you…and Harvard?"

His food arrived and it looked delicious.

"I played sports…and studied and partied. I spent some time studying abroad in Europe."

She smiled.

"What part?"

"Milan Italy…Cambridge…traveled to other places like Greece."

"I spent my summers in Europe," she said, "with my family…on an island…"

He arched his brows.

"Sounds interesting…"

She looked down at her plate.

"Not really…after I had…Sam and lost her…it got harder. My family frowns on illegitimacy and even though I thought the baby had died…well things got a bit difficult."

Derek fell silent and she looked at him as she reached for her drink.

"My stepmother's not the sort that ever lets you forget anything like that."

She wondered if that made him feel uncomfortable and wasn't she spilling a lot of information to him since she met him? But something about him just made her compelled to do it.

Something about him felt more than familiar and she couldn't shake it.

* * *

Carly walked into the diner and ran into Shawn who was wiping down the counter. She'd been helping with the planning of Kiki and Morgan's belated wedding party and it'd been insufferable. The bride was just trashy in her skirt and blouse god what had Morgan been thinking when he'd let this trailer trash girl sink her claws in him?

Shawn smiled at her.

"Hi Carly…can I get you anything?"

She sat on a stool

"Some pasta primavera. And a bottled water."

He nodded.

"How's Sonny?"

She shrugged.

"How should I know? He's not my problem. I really think if people ignore him he'll settle down."

Shawn sighed.

"He thinks I'm Jason…"

She studied him critically.

"Really? You don't look anything like him."

Her eyes spanned the diner and she saw Alexis sitting with Derek.

"They seem awfully friendly…"

"He donated marrow to Danny," he said, "heard Alexis was real happy about that."

Carly frowned.

"I have a business dealing with him but he's spent so much time at the hospital with Danny. I know he's the marrow donor but still…"

Shawn frowned.

"It's a bit odd he's so involved," he said, "I thought it was all anonymous."

"I invited him to the social gala at the hotel," she said, "though Ava's trying to make it all about Kiki and Morgan's wedding…which I'm trying to forget."

Shawn was too busy watching Derek and Alexis talking with each other, saw how cozy they were getting and decided he didn't like it one bit.

* * *

Alexis sipped her drink.

"I enjoy spending time with you. I know I don't know you that well."

He bit back a smile.

"I enjoy it as well. I'm glad we met."

"Yeah…I'm sorry about that first meeting…when I got upset with you like that."

"You were just trying to protect your family," he said, "and look out for them. Family's the most important thing."

She sighed.

"It's just that Sam's been through so much with her husband dying…then Danny. She deserves some happiness.

"He's going to make it Alexis. I know it."

"That's what I keep telling her but she's just afraid something's going to go wrong."

Derek saw the concern on her face.

"We'll just have to make sure that doesn't happen."

There was resolve in his voice that touched her. She didn't know what he'd be able to do about it. It was left in the hands of Danny's body being able to handle the transplant and the ability of Derek's marrow to help him.

"Yeah well, we should know the answer soon…I'm due back there soon…I just had to get a brief filed by this afternoon."

"You're in private practice?"

She leaned back looking down at her paperwork.

"Yeah more or less…I've been thinking about what I want to do next," she said, "Contractual law pays well but it's not that challenging."

"Thinking about using your degree in a different way?"

She shrugged.

"Never thought about it. I went and got it to help my brother…but he's gone and maybe it's just time to go in a different direction…"

That made sense to her and she thought it'd work with other areas of her life as well. She glanced away and saw Carly talking with Shawn in the corner. She hoped that her ex would do that too.


	30. Chapter 30

_The walls threatened to close in on her, smothering her. The doctor followed by the headmaster of the school had left her there some hours ago. _

_The door had been locked because she'd already opened and the window, too small to squeeze out of and escape. _

_She knew the next person she'd see was Mikkos or whoever he sent to fetch her. She wondered if he'd be shipping her back to the dreaded island or…someplace else. Pacing around for the first hour didn't get her anywhere so she sat on the bed. _

_The room was sparse, same as her own and didn't have a clock. They brought her meals and there was at least an adjoining bathroom. _

_She'd heard the stories of other girls who'd wound up here, in isolation almost as if what happened to them was contagious. But she never thought it'd happen to her. _

_God, she'd been so stupid to ever think she could be someone else. Even for a few hours, even when she met a cute guy who'd been nice to her to the point where he'd dropped her off in front of the dorm. _

_There weren't many nice people in her world. _

_She remembered the interrogation by the doctor and the headmaster before they left her. _

"_How did this happen," the headmaster said, "Was it at the mixer? We must call the boy's academy…"_

_The doctor shrugged. _

"_I'd say it was about eight to ten weeks ago…when conception took place," she said, "So it wasn't a mixer."_

_The headmaster sighed. _

"_Well when could it have happened? I don't know what I'm going to tell Mr. Cassadine when he arrives about his niece…"_

_Alexis listened to them talk about her as if she weren't there. _

"_He will be furious…he'd just promised to donate millions to pay for the new library," the headmaster said, "What if he changes his mind? Construction's due to start…"_

_Alexis wished she could disappear. Then both of them turned to look at her as if finally remembering they weren't alone in the room. _

"_You know Alexis…you'd make it easier all around if you'd at least tell us who the boy responsible for getting you pregnant is…if he took advantage of you…"_

_Suddenly she shook her head. _

"_No…not that. He asked me if I…"_

_She rested a hand on her abdomen. _

_Then she stopped talking. The two women glanced at each other. The headmaster smiled. _

"_Alexis…what's his name?"_

_She looked at the two women knowing she could never, ever tell them._

* * *

Alexis blinked her eyes open. Damn she'd been dreaming again. Her muscles cramped from sleeping in the chair. You'd think they'd grown used to it by now.

She'd been dreaming about the past since…well since before she'd told Sam about her father or what she'd remembered. What was with that, but then she figured it must have to do with the focus on her grandson and the bone marrow drive.

"Who might not be happy?"

She heard his voice and realized Derek was sitting next to her. Had she been talking in her sleep again? So she straightened in the chair and thought quickly.

"Oh nothing…I was dreaming I guess. I must have fell asleep again. Did I miss anything?"

He shook his head.

"No report back from Silas and Sam's at the cafeteria."

She stretched.

"What time is it?"

"Almost six…you hungry?"

She shook her head.

"I'm still full from lunch...were you here this entire time?"

He smiled.

"A few phone calls…Business to take care of…"

She tilted her face.

"Any good news to print? Another Q scandal?"

He chuckled.

"Not this week."

She smiled at him.

"It's still young…"

He looked at her carefully in that way that kept her on her toes.

"What?"

"You surprise me Alexis…"

"Why?"

"Because I feel like I know you."

Another one of his play on words enjoying himself. But she just looked at him then.

"No you don't…"

* * *

Max and Shawn bonded over BLTs at Kelly's because both of them were laying off the pasta.

"We've got to find out why these mobsters we ordered out of town are coming back."

Max looked up at Shawn.

"Why are they showing up now," he said, "You think they know the boss isn't himself?"

Shawn shrugged before taking a bite of his sandwich.

"Maybe…or someone new has come to town to stir things up for Sonny," he said, "Things have been too quiet here for too long. And with Jason dead in the harbor, Sonny's looking vulnerable."

Max sipped his root beer.

"He's got you…"

Shawn frowned.

"I'm not as good as Jase. I mean he's the ultimate ice man. I don't know how to be like that."

Max agreed.

"Me neither. But until Sonny's right in the head again it's going to be up to us to figure out if anyone is trying to take his organization over."

Sean glowered.

"My money's on that Derek Wells. I don't trust him."

Max narrowed his eyes.

"Is this because of Alexis? So they ate lunch together. Maybe he was interviewing her."

Shawn put his sandwich down.

"They looked awfully friendly for business and she look real comfortable with him."

Max snickered.

"More comfortable than with you?"

Shawn slammed his sandwich down and went to get something stronger than root beer to drink while Max watched him.

"You know he sent Sonny flowers to him in condolences for Connie's death…"

Max considered that.

"Didn't Connie work for Mr. Wells?"

Shawn got a beer out of the frig and opened it up, drinking it straight from the bottle.

"I'm going to find out what's going on with that guy."

Max shook his head.

"I still think you're looking up in the wrong tree. But maybe it's time we go around making it clear to these guys that they're not welcome in PC…"

Shawn nodded.

"I'm in if we can get some info out of them first…"

Max knew what that meant and looking at Shawn now, he'd enjoy that part of the interrogation process.

* * *

Derek looked at her.

"What do you mean I don't know you?"

She put up a finger.

"You said you feel like you know me and that's where you're wrong. There's a lot you don't know about me."

He smiled in that disarmed way of his.

"I know a few things," he said, "I know you worked in New York City for several years and you work as a lawyer for a man named Sonny Corinthos."

Her mouth fell open partly.

"How…well I guess everyone knows," she said, "It's not a secret. He and I also have a daughter together do you know that?"

The expression on his face told her he didn't.

"No…so you were in a relationship with him?"

She sighed.

"Hardly…have I meant we have a business relationship but we just got together for one night…that was it. It's complicated. Some joked that I let him seduce me and got knocked up with a mob baby….but I love my daughter."

He didn't respond.

"You're appalled. I mean two one night stands, two daughters…"

He just looked at her.

"No actually I'm thinking Sonny and I have a lot in common…"

Suddenly Sam walked up to them and she had a look of concern on her face. Alexis was focused on what he'd just said.

"Mom…Derek…Silas has some news on the blood tests," she said, "He's getting the reports down here."

Both Derek and Alexis stood up and smiled at her.

"It's going to be okay honey," Alexis said, "I know it's going to be good news."

The three of them waited together, their minds on one little boy.


	31. Chapter 31

Silas looked at the three people who were all interested in what he had to say about Danny. Sam and Alexis he got, but he couldn't figure out what was going on with Derek.

People donated marrow or stem cells all the time, not all of them stuck around long enough to find out whether or not the process was a success. Yet he noticed that Derek had been fully invested in it.

Interesting…but he had news to provide so he slipped into the professional clothing he'd used to among other things protect himself to hand out the news. Sam bit her lip.

"Well…"

Silas wore that enigmatic look. It drove most people crazy but he was beginning to think that maybe Sam at least got it and him. Not that he'd shared every aspect of his life and his past with her.

Some secrets could never be shared. Speaking of which, he had three phone messages from Ava Jerome.

He ignored all of them.

Now Alexis shot him a piercing look.

"Is the transplant working or not?"

Derek seemed content to let the mother and daughter do the talking but he was listening avidly. Silas looked at them another long moment so even he got impatient.

"Well Dr. Clay did my marrow take or not?"

Silas sighed.

"The latest round of tests look promising but we've got to do some more waiting to make sure…'

Sam rubbed the back of her neck.

"That's good news isn't it? It means he's going to get better…"

Silas moved carefully.

"It means what I said it's looking better. It's still early and we want to be sure before we take him out of isolation."

Sam felt some frustration wanting to hold her baby in her arms, smell baby powder on his skin, and hear him babbling in her ear.

"It's so hard not to be able…"

She didn't finish. Alexis put a hand on her daughter's shoulder. Silas arched his brows.

"It shouldn't be too much longer," he said, "if the results keep going in the right direction."

Sam smiled at him and nodded.

"Okay…I'll just be glad when this is all over."

Derek put an arm around his daughter and she looked up at him smiling. Alexis didn't know but her breath caught when she saw them together.

* * *

Shawn was seething, that went without saying. He and Max had been wandering the water front looking for mobsters to tie to chairs and beat senseless. Sonny had been so damn irritated at Max for allowing Ava Jerome to walk inside his house that he'd sent him out on a fool's errand to pick up a BLT or something at Kelly's.

Max of course thought of the delicious sandwich first and the coded meaning, second. He watched as Shawn whaled on a mobster named Bogie who'd been nabbed just outside of Kelly's. His eyes fell on the faded portrait of Paddy Kelly, his wife Rose and son Joe on the wall, and wondered if the founder of Kelly's was rolling in his grave right now at what the restaurant had become.

As they whaled on Bogie who just spit at them, blood mostly, in defiance, Max heard the front door rattle even though they'd helpfully put the "closed" sign to keep the regulars away while they conducted business for Sonny.

"You tell us who brought you here or…"

Smack, flesh upon flesh and the man in the chair grunted. The ropes around his wrists tightening.

"Damn you're hurting me…"

Shawn's face bent closer.

"You tell us what we want to know and it'll all go away."

Max knew that something was eating at Sonny's main enforcer but Shawn brushed him off. Had it been the fact that Sonny in one of his hallucination fed tirades had mistaken Shawn for Jason? He knew that Shawn had admired the late hit man extraordinaire but had been envious of him too knowing that he'd never have those kind of carefully honed skills to do the job as well.

He'd botched up his few hits already big time and still seemed eager to prove himself. But since Shawn hadn't grown up with La Familia he was two steps behind the curve already and not catching up.

Slam! The man nearly fell off the chair, his face bloodied. Max's eyes widened. This was a lot different than being Sonny's body guard.

The door rattled again. Both men looked to the door and then at the man whose eyes plead with him to stop with the punches.

"Should I get it?"

Shawn shook his head at him.

"They'll go away in a moment…."

Max wandered out to the dining area then returned.

"No they won't…it's T.J. out there…"

Shawn groaned his fist still clenched.

"Damn…"

"I don't think you want him to see you like this…I'll release him out the back. You clean up okay?"

Shawn hesitated then nodded, looking down at the blood on his hands.

* * *

Alexis walked down the hallway with Derek, his last comment still on her mind. Something about him and Sonny having a lot in common.

"So you knocked up your attorney too?"

He glanced at her.

"What? Oh no…not that I've heard. He's in contracts."

"That's good."

She smiled at him, still trying to figure him out. She felt giddy which she hated but she couldn't help herself.

"It was a game between him and me," she said, "but my daughter isn't…"

He smiled.

"Well, it seems that the more worthy the opponent, the better the victory…"

Alexis flashed him a look.

"What so you like playing games too? Is that how you're like Sonny?"

"You said it yourself there's not much difference between a mobster and a businessman."

Alexis shook her head.

"I didn't…is this a game?"

He widened his eyes a bit.

"No…I enjoy spending time with you. And I leave the games to my business."

She softened a bit. Sam had been nudging her to go out and mingle again with the opposite sex after they knew Danny was in the clear. Alexis had been happy to hear her daughter actually say those words about her son and believe it.

The rest of it? She didn't need a man in her life right now. After the train wreck with Shawn who chose his work with Sonny over her...and he was more reckless than anything else.

"That's good to know. I leave the game playing to the courtroom."

"I bet you're great at it," he said, "Really something to watch in a boardroom as well."

She smiled.

"Yeah I am. I don't know but the law's always felt natural to me. An ally in an adversarial world…"

His eyes narrowed.

"Meaning…"

She shrugged slightly.

"If you met my family you'd understand…but it's always something I've been good at and winning a hard fought battle is like you said…very rewarding."

"I didn't put it exactly in those words…"

"Close enough…so does this attorney that you didn't knock up, does he fight or play hard to win?"

He paused watching her face a moment, the thick loose hair down to her shoulders. He could see his daughter's features in her face.

She'd inherited her mother's tenacity as well. He knew he was looking at a survivor.

"He…he does that considering what he bills me by the hour."

She considered that.

"Smart…though you might need him if that Ava Jerome sues you over that article."

He glanced at her but she just looked thoughtful.

"_Ms_ Jerome can't sue for libel if it's the truth and Ms Falconi researched the article very carefully before she wrote it."

Alexis nodded.

"Good it doesn't always work out that way with the press…"

Derek didn't need to be told that. But buying the publishing headquarters had been the perfect cover for him.

Hiding in plain sight.

But Alexis was missing the part of their history which he could give her. He'd been tempted and had come so close…but he had to stick to the plan to take Sonny down. Take over his territory, set up his own operation and use ELQ to launder money.

He was missing a piece of history she could give him about their daughter, including what had happened to her. Questions he wanted to ask but how could he do it without giving himself a way.

Because looking at her now, he would give himself away.


	32. Chapter 32

**Earlier…1980**

She'd been back on the island for a couple of weeks. After the plane landed on the strip, she was taken in a black limo to the main house.

Mikkos had arranged for her to stay in a suite near the servants' quarters and she spent most of her time there. Helena had come back from whatever she'd been doing in Paris and had everyone running scared.

The servants whispered in the hallways about her taking a knife to a chambermaid's throat just for chipping a crystal goblet. Another maid shook her head.

"No…it's because Marie was caught gazing at her husband."

Alexis had heard the tales of other servants caught on the wrong side of Helena. Some of them were never seen again. She'd heard the servants talk about Mikkos and his affairs that he sometimes flaunted in his wife's face when he'd been hitting the vodka. It was amazing what you could learn when you were so used to living like another piece of antique furniture.

No one saw him much these days. He spent most of his time with his brothers Victor and Tony in his offices on the other side of the Island near the docks.

The maid picked up her broom.

"She's on a tear over her husband's bastard child living underfoot again," she said, "so stay out of her way."

Alexis frowned at that information as she stood in the library where she'd gone to get a book to read in her prison cell. She spent almost all of her time in the suite reading and staring out of the single window over the harbor except when she took her meals prepared by the cook.

"They took her out of that posh school in the States real sudden and I heard her husband paid the school off to cover it up."

It didn't make sense to her. Mikkos was some uncle to her and her real parents had died years ago before she remembered them. There had to be some mistake…or they had her confused with someone else.

Her parents were dead….killed in some accident when she'd been but a baby. Mikkos had taken her in and left her with a cousin to raise.

"Alexis…"

She looked up and smiled at the young handsome man with the goatee who walked into the library.

"Stefan…you're back."

He had always been her protector against his brother Stavros who was a brute to her and just about everyone else. When his friends were here, he was even worse. She stayed away from him remembering well enough what happened when their paths crossed.

But not Stefan.

They sank back on the chaise in the library.

"You shouldn't be out and about," he said, "My mother's due back soon and she's in one of her moods."

She glanced at him.

"Helena's always in one of her moods."

He sighed.

"She was talking to Mikkos at the offices about you…the disgrace you've brought to this family."

She furrowed her brow.

"I'm not even a close member," she said, "I'm just a cousin. It's not like I'm her daughter."

"It doesn't matter…she doesn't want you here," he said, "She'll have the baby killed the moment it's born or do it herself."

Alexis widened her eyes, her body tensed. A hand resting on her abdomen.

"No…No I'm not going to let that happen. Mikkos said someone would adopt it. Nice people…"

Stefan shook his head.

"Not as long as you stay here," he said, "Helena started ranting about a Kristina. How the line had to end there…then she told my father that he was sending Tony and Victor to find him…"

"Who?"

Then suddenly she knew.

"No….it was just some guy I didn't even know," she said, "I met him…when I left the campus to go into town."

"He didn't tell you anything…about himself. Where he was from, his family…"

She narrowed her eyes.

"Why do you want to know Stefan? What I had with him…it's nothing and it's over."

Stefan sighed.

"You know he's going to want a name…"

She got off the chaise and started pacing.

"He's not getting one…not from me…I don't know…"

Stefan pressed her.

"You sure?"

She'd made that decision already what path she'd follow.

"Yes…like I said it was just one night…"

He sighed.

"You can't stay here with Helena…and the others. My father's going to find a way to slip you out of here and you need to go with him."

Alexis remembered the drill. She knew better to ask questions when it was time to leave the Island. She knew that there were people who wanted her dead…she just never knew why.

She nodded.

Yeah she'd go along with it and one way or another she was going to find a way to make sure no one ever took her baby away from her.

The Cassadine way had been law for as long as she could remember. But for the first time in her life, something belonged to her.

She had no intention of giving it up.

* * *

**New York, 1994.**

Julian couldn't figure out why he'd picked the name Derek but that it worked. The real Derek Wells hadn't lived past infancy, just long enough to be assigned a Social Security number. That led to things like bank accounts, credit lines and driver's licenses not to mention passports and finding someone who could falsify educational transcripts and resumes.

He built up from there. He hadn't much liked being dead and his resurrection had gone more smoothly than planned so far. It'd happened that he'd opted to pursue a new career as a businessman focusing on communications, something he'd liked in college.

After crafting his new identity he'd wound up in New York close enough to his eventual target and a good place as any to begin building his empire. He had to pick legit businesses that would generate huge revenues so the IRS wouldn't be attracted if suddenly even more money flowed through the coffers. It'd been good to get away from where he'd spent the past few years…including from his sister. She'd be an instrumental part of his plan after she crafted her own identity…as a renowned art dealer.

Most of his old life, he'd walked away from. No longer any more a part of him than his old life. Not that he minded as he found he enjoyed playing the role of Derek Wells, media conglomerate who hoped to rise to the top of an industry which would only help him later.

Right now he sat at his desk editing some articles that had been sent in by his news editor staff. Though the publisher, he liked to be hand on as well. In another life…maybe he would have been a Woodward or Bernstein…but he had other plans. A promise to fulfill and this was on his map to get there…though he knew it'd be years away.

A city council meeting on the city's annual budget…a shooting involving a merchant who'd been robbed and fired back. An airliner blowing a tire on a landing at JFK.

He picked out one article on a trial by judge regarding whether the intellectual property of one company was in fact legally owned by a much larger corporation.

Cassadine Industries.

He'd heard of that company that had been in the news for years mostly due to the infamous antics of Mikkos Cassadine years ago. Then the scandalous death of Stavros Cassadine in Port Charles of all places…in connection with a man named Luke Spencer…the same man who'd been instrumental in bringing Mikkos' dreams of world domination to an abrupt end.

In recent years, Cassadine Industries had risen from the ashes like a phoenix under new stewardship. A man named Stefan Cassadine had been responsible for that and in photos he'd seen, definitely formidable in appearance. Slightly less bloodthirsty than the rest of his family.

Julian thought of the Cassadines through the years, knowing that he'd crossed paths with Mikkos' brothers and partners in his plots. He wondered about the girl Natasha who they'd obviously been sent to take out.

Were they successful? Julian knew all about hired hit men and these men…they appeared ruthless but if they were doing the job themselves it must be personal. A family vendetta perhaps.

"Mr. Wells…"

He looked up and saw Claire walk in and wondered why she bothered with the formality considering their relationship. Whatever it took to pass the time…

"Yes…"

"I'm off to cover the trial…anything you want me to cover…?"

He sat there his hands folded.

"I'm sure you'll have all the angles handled."

She nodded.

"I'll see you later tonight…at the usual place…oh I'll be interviewing the lawyer from Cassadine Industries first…but I should be done by them."

"That should be good. I heard she's a shark in the courtroom…"

Claire smiled.

"I see you approve…well maybe I'll add that to my list of questions…you want her number too?"

He sighed.

"Just get me the story. So it can go to press tonight for tomorrow's edition…"

She shrugged and left the office. He sat at his desk and searched the top drawer for some papers. His hand bumped the small box.

He picked up and opened it…saw the necklace inside of it and thought of his past that he'd just buried.


	33. Chapter 33

Ava and Julian just stood there as Vince's body sunk into the bottomless depths of the harbor near Pier 52. It'd been the perfect spot to catch up with the old mobster and find out what he'd spilled to Sonny's enforcers. Julian thought of the moments before he pulled the trigger, when Vince thought he might get out of his betrayal alive.

But that couldn't ever happen. Not unless Julian wanted all his minions cracking under pressure applied by Sonny's organization. He'd done what needed to be done and quickly put it behind them, it was all about business and making sure the objective didn't get impeded by the obstacles they had encountered along the way.

Ava had enjoyed it a lot, walking up to kick at him in gleeful disgust and then sent him tumbling into the harbor.

That behind them, they remained on the pier discussing their next move.

"I'm throwing a party for Kiki and Morgan," Ava said, "to divert attention from your little…thing you've got going with the shipment. Sonny's going to help me with it."

Julian narrowed his eyes.

"Sonny? I told you to stay away from him…stick to the plan."

She looked haughty.

"You're not the boss and you can't tell me what to do," she said, "and I've saved your ass more than once."

"You couldn't even accomplish getting ELQ. I had to step in to handle that."

She snarled at him not wanting to be reminded.

"I managed to get my daughter to marry Corinthos son didn't I? I think the party will go nicely for them…I'm working on the guest list."

"That should be interesting," he said, "I hope you did your homework on who to put in opposite corners."

She slid her tongue over her lips.

"A little fireworks isn't a bad thing…to divert those going on at the waterfront."

He thought his sister had a point, yet he was already thought of how to extricate him from her and head back to the hospital. He had a daughter and grandson that he'd had to cut out on before he came to Pier 52 to conduct business.

"Okay now that we're finished here. I'll be at GH checking in on my grandson and his mother."

Ava rolled her eyes.

"What part of 'these strangers are not family' do you not understand Julian? I'm the only family you'll ever need."

He put his hand up.

"Don't tell me who my family is and who it isn't…besides as Danny's donor it's only natural I'd be there to check up on his progress."

She folded her arms.

"You are there all the time big brother and _that's_ going to look suspicious."

Julian saw a glint in his sister's eyes he didn't like. She'd already been off seeing to her own agenda without checking with him first. Gone to Sonny's to gaslight him and messing with his head…which might or might not work in their favor. And then there was the other…but maybe that'd work out too.

"Ava you have your extracurricular activities and I have mine," he said, "Don't you have a wedding party to plan."

She put a hand on her hip.

"It's going to be quite spectacular isn't it? I'll make sure to keep my guests so busy they won't notice you're…pyrotechnics."

Julian just wanted to get back to the hospital where his family was all hanging out. Such a pull almost primal he couldn't even begin to explain but his work was done here.

Ava left first after picking up her sequined purse and he heard a noise.

"Who's there?"

The gun came out. He crept along and saw Carly arguing with some guy who she slapped.

"You stood me up so you could do the horizontal with Sasha?"

His footsteps alerted them. Carly turned around and tucked a hair behind her ear.

"Oh hi Derek…I'm just here with this ass Felix and he's got a lot of nerve…"

He held up his hand not wanting to hear any more while carefully tucking the gun back in his waistband.

"You don't need to tell me the details," he said, "I was just down here with Ms Jerome about buying some artwork from her…she'd been expressing her condolences about the death of one of my employees."

Carly nodded.

"Connie Falconari. Yes, that was tragic. She and I…well we were friendly."

He looked past her to his exit.

"Well I…"

"How's little Danny Morgan doing," she said, "I've been meaning to get to visit him with his family and I being so close…very close…"

His brow knit.

"I didn't know that…in fact…"

She smiled, curling her tongue.

"Yes I've been meaning to take Alexis and Sam out to lunch. We're all like sisters…"

Derek studied her as it hadn't seemed like that not too long ago. At least not between Alexis and her when the former had gotten like a protective lioness in her face. His mouth curved into a smile at the memory.

"I have to go…my office will call you about the marketing campaign…"

"The what?"

"Your hotel…the advertising campaign," he said, "The guy's name is Sergio. He should be calling soon."

She watched him as he walked always from the waterfront.

* * *

Sam and Alexis were leaning on the crib talking about men. Alexis was still reeling a bit from the conversation she had with her daughter about saddling up and grabbing onto Derek or something like that.

She'd blushed, who wouldn't? But she hadn't forgotten it either. She couldn't deny she was attracted to the publishing magnate. He's saved her grandson's life, sweeping in at the 11th hour and hadn't asked for anything in return. He seemed nice and very intelligent, finally a man she enjoyed bantering with at least since that louse of an ex-husband of hers, Ric. Not to mention he wasn't bad to look at either, in fact she found herself looking at him a lot.

It's just that there was more to it than just liking how he looked. Something pulled at her, tugging someplace hidden away deep inside her and she didn't know what. Despite that spill fest of dating history she'd told him in the waiting room that day, she had her secrets.

Just to stay alive you needed to harbor some of them very deeply.

"Oh come on mom…I know you like him but you got to quit with this demure act," Sam said, "and I know it's an act. I just don't know why you hold onto it so tightly."

Alexis sighed. Sometimes she wondered the same herself. She just couldn't help herself. A defense mechanism perhaps…but given her relationship history was it surprising? But had it started with Sonny? She didn't remember feeling like that with Ned Ashton.

Maybe because he'd seen a nice guy, who'd turned into a very close friend just like Jax…another very nice guy. After all she'd been married to Jax and they'd never…but he was her closest friend. God she missed him so much. He'd sent her emails and called her when he'd found out about Danny even offered to fly out.

But she didn't take him up on it because he'd just patched things up with Brenda who didn't like sharing her men under any circumstances and he still was hurting from Jerry. Speaking of which, no more texts from that smooth talking sociopath lately. Thank God, for small favors.

"I'm not playing demure…look Sam he's an attractive guy but he's…I just don't know if I'm ready for another relationship."

Sam tilted her face looking at her mom.

"You still thinking about getting back with Shawn."

Alexis shook her head.

"That's water under the bridge. It'd never work between us. To be honest…it wasn't just his line of work that bothered me. I just never felt…I think I rushed into it. He's great looking and fun…he wanted more but I just…I think I just needed…some"

Sam chuckled.

"No need to elaborate. I get it. Not that there's nothing wrong with that with some guys."

Alexis narrowed her eyes.

"So when…never mind…"

Sam looked at her mother who clearly felt conflicted with Derek.

"I think you should go for it," she said, "Life's short…you got to take the bull by the horns or maybe in your case its…"

Alexis face pinked.

"I get your point…it's just that there's something about him…"

Sam frowned.

"What is it? Skeletons in his closet? Because I'm a PI and I can find out…"

Alexis sighed.

"Maybe the problem's me. What if he's another one of my bad boys and I can't handle him?"

Sam shrugged.

"What's there to handle? Just go out with him. It's called a date. Have lunch at Kelly's…"

Footsteps behind them. They looked to see Shawn entering the room.

"What's this about Kelly's?"

Both women greeted him and he asked how Danny's been doing.

"He's doing good," Sam said, "the transplant's working…"

Shawn nodded.

"That's great. So I take it your donor had the goods?"

Sam and Alexis looked at each other. Alexis nodded.

"He's been great. Saved Danny's life…along with Dr. Clay of course…"

Shawn grimaced.

"Alexis I've been meaning to talk to you…can I?"

Alexis looked at Sam who nodded.

"Silas is in the cafeteria," she said, "so I'll see you in a bit."

She left the room and Alexis looked at her ex, more than a bit warily. After all, she hadn't seen him in several months and then suddenly he shows up needing to talk with her.

"Okay… what do you want to talk about?"

He sighed.

"Us…I really missed you. Look I know you are worried…but there's really no reason."

"Shawn I told you I couldn't do it anymore," she said, "You chose your work with Sonny and that's your right. But I've got my own decisions to make, you need to respect that."

He grumbled.

"I don't like ultimatums."

She pursed her lips.

"Shawn you're a good guy…well when you're not doing hits for Sonny but you and me…it just wasn't working anyway."

He folded his arms.

"What do you mean by that? Everything was just perfect…"

She shook her head.

"It wasn't Shawn. I think I just jumped in with you so fast because of Jerry…the man's crazy but he was crazy on me and I know it's his fault but I just kept thinking what it was about me…"

"Nothing…and what does all this have to do with me…with us?"

She pressed her hands together.

"There is no us Shawn. I think…I just was more into getting away from him than getting together with you."

His expression told her he didn't like that but what could she say? Who wouldn't be in a crazy situation like what happened with Jerry and not be affected by it? Maybe a bit messed up…but she knew she was right on this one.

"Can't we have another chance?"

She shook her head.

"I think it's time for us to move on with our lives. Hey we can still be friends…after all our kids are dating…"

That didn't appease him but was that really her problem?

"Alexis…you don't know what you're saying."

She looked at him a bit weary. Damn she was sick of the men in her life telling her that in one way or another.

"Oh Shawn I do…and no it's not going to happen. Please don't push me on that."

He glowered.

"Does this have to do with Derek Wells?"

More footsteps behind them.

"Did I just hear my name mentioned….?"


	34. Chapter 34

The two men stared at each other with Alexis standing in between them.

"Mr. Wells…"

"Mr. Butler…Alexis…"

Shawn didn't look happy at Derek's familiarity with her. But that was tough, as he had no right to tell her what to do. She'd never liked his possessive streak.

"I was talking to her…you know checking up on Danny."

Derek stepped into the room.

"I know…and then you used my name."

Shawn folded his arms.

"Oh that…we were talking about your…generous donation. It was great what you did."

"I was more than happy to do it," Derek said, "Anything to save the life of a little boy…"

Shawn sighed.

"Me and Alexis…we were talking," he said, "You walked into that."

Derek didn't look concerned and Alexis shot a look at Shawn.

"We're finished. I told you how I feel and you just need to respect that."

Shawn resisted.

"Alexis…"

"I mean it Shawn. Don't challenge on me on this. It's time for you to just move on."

He stared at her, fidgeting where he stood.

"We're not done…if you'd just listen to me…"

Alexis shook her head.

"I'm done listening. Look Shawn this past couple of months…it's been hard and I've been so focused on my daughter and grandson."

"I know but…"

She glanced at Derek.

"Don't…I think you should just go…"

Shawn finally got the hint and shot a glare at Derek before walking out of there. She then turned to look at Derek.

"I'm sorry about that. I didn't expect him to come in charging like that."

"I imagine not but you seemed more than capable of handling him…Shawn Butler, he works for Sonny Corinthos doesn't he?"

She furrowed her brow.

"Yes he does…when he's not managing Kelly's. We went out for a while but broke up a few months ago. He seemed fine with it…I hadn't heard or seen him and then he suddenly decides to show up."

"Some men don't realize what they have until it's gone."

She smiled at him.

"So was the business you had to handle successful?"

He nodded.

"So much so that I think this project of mine will work out quite well."

"That's good…You seem like a very driven man…when it comes to business."

He chuckled.

"I am when it comes to all things. The things that matter…"

She leaned against the crib again and he moved closer their shoulders barely brushing.

"Like what? What matters to Derek Wells, publishing extraordinaire?"

He sighed.

"My business does of course…I take great pride in having built it and seeing it pay off in dividends."

She eyed him carefully sideways.

"What else?"

He answered immediately.

"Family…"

She arched a brow at that.

"You have family…well of course you do…"

He looked straight ahead.

"I'm not close to them…or haven't been in a while."

"Oh…I spent most of my life not being close to mine," she said, "Save Stefan…and he fell into darkness not long before his death. It's a family trait."

He frowned.

"Stefan?"

She nodded.

"He's my half-brother. He's the one that talked me into coming here from New York. I thought…but he was like the others…dark and brooding doesn't begin to describe it."

"You have a family now…"

She nodded with a smile, caressing the railing of the crib.

"I do and they mean everything to me. I'll do whatever it takes to keep them safe."

He knit his brows seeing the determination on his face, which told him instantly that she meant, anything.

"I imagine through your working relationship with Sonny, it can make them more vulnerable."

"I've kept them safe from people far more dangerous than him…"

Meaning Jerry, he knew. He'd called his contact earlier that day and received the report that Jerry had been spotted in Europe. The man would be keeping an eye on him quite closely. She propped her arms on the crib.

"Even when Sam was born and I had to give her up," she said, "that was the only way…it took me…well it wouldn't have ever worked."

He glanced at her when she wasn't looking.

"Must have been very difficult to do that."

She shrugged slightly.

"I did it. I wish I could have seen her grow up," she said, "I got that with my other two girls but she was my firstborn and I thought about her a lot…she was born on Mother's Day."

He didn't say anything and sometimes she wondered if she said too much. But she couldn't explain it, she felt drawn to talk with him. He seemed a good listener at any rate but he didn't talk much about himself.

"But you found her again…"

"We found each other…though it wasn't an easy time for either of us."

"You wouldn't know that by spending time with you now," he said, "you seem to get along quite well."

She smiled again. She had a beautiful smile that lit up her face, even eyes that he knew had seen much darkness.

"We've had our moments."

He put his hand on the railing and it brushed hers. She didn't move hers away.

* * *

Carly saw Shawn leaving and he looked perturbed so naturally she walked on over to him.

"What's up Shawn?"

He eyed her.

"You've seen Sonny?"

She made a face.

"He's totally off his meds and smashing all the crystal," she said, "and Kiki and Morgan moved in his house after getting kicked out by Tracy and Monica."

He frowned.

"I thought only Franco and Ava got booted."

She shook her head.

"No once Monica got started, she couldn't stop. I just don't know if Sonny even knows his own kids at this point."

Shawn rubbed his neck.

"He's pretty bad. Never seen him like this and Max and I are holding down the fort but word is someone's after his territory."

Carly shrugged.

"So what else is new?"

"You sound casual about it."

She rolled her eyes.

"It's like that when you're at the top," she said, "Wannabe mobsters up and coming all trying to knock you down."

Shawn frowned.

"This one might be a bad ass."

"They all are or at least they think…I did see something strange at the waterfront…near Pier 51."

Shawn's brows arched.

"What'd you see?"

"Derek Wells and Ava Jerome…together. She left, he claimed it was all business. I don't believe him."

"Why not?"

"Because…it was just strange…I don't know maybe the bitch is seeing him…hey I'm allowed to say that because she's the mother in law from hell."

Shawn nodded understanding.

"The marriage."

"Yeah that…so what's got you in a sour mood?"

He paused.

"Alexis…I went to try and talk to her about…maybe us making a fresh start."

Carly sputtered.

"Alexis…that hypocritical sanctimonious prude? Sorry…I know that you two…had something…"

"We were in love."

Carly waved her hand.

"Yeah whatever…"

He took a breath and continued.

"Anyway we were talking and in walks Derek Wells himself…while Alexis and I are talking…about us."

Carly flipped her hair back.

"I thought there was no 'us' between the two of you. She couldn't handle your line of work…"

"She gave me that damn ultimatum…"

Carly folded her arms.

"Whatever…Shawn not everyone can be like me…and Alexis…she's never going to get any of the good men in this town…not when there's something better available."

Shawn didn't care how good Carly was at getting men. He just knew that seeing Alexis with another man especially one like Derek Wells…well it bugged him. All this time, he thought she'd been regretting her decision to dump him. He'd been so sure…after the transplant was successful that she'd come back to him.

"So you think she's into Derek Wells?"

Shawn glowered.

"I hope not…there's something about the guy. He's just too smooth."

Carly's face hardened.

"Yeah I noticed…and Ava hanging around him just is freaky. But with Sonny off his meds and Kiki whipping my sons…I just had my hands full."

"So you finally ditched Franco."

"Well no…I caught him with a woman in his hotel room and sent him packing."

Shawn digested that.

"I just don't think this Derek Wells is who he appears to be."

Neither did Carly but already her own wheels were working.

* * *

Sam walked in on Derek and Alexis standing by the crib and she smiled.

"Am I interrupting anything?"

They both turned around at the same time and Alexis shook her head.

"We're just talking…so how are things with Silas?"

Sam hedged.

"I don't know…"

Derek frowned.

"Did he do anything…?"

Alexis glanced at him and then her daughter.

"Well did he?"

Sam looked from one to the other.

"No…I think it's me and that I've still got to work things out for myself…before I can go out with him."

Alexis smiled.

"Nothing wrong with that," she said, "No need to rush anything…if he's worthy of you…"

Sam interjected folding her arms.

"Mom…I'm not rushing anything."

Alexis waved her hands.

"Okay, Okay…."

Derek just looked at them amused at the mother and daughter. But he felt a tug deep inside himself at what could have been.


	35. Chapter 35

Julian sat at his desk at the office, as he had been all morning. Answering phone calls from advertisers and assigning stories.

He'd sent a reporter out to interview people who'd attended the infamous gala that had been hosted by his sister and Sonny Corinthos to celebrate what might prove to be the very brief marriage of Morgan and Kiki. Damage estimates for furniture and crystal at the Metro Court were approaching the six figures and well, then there was the story about the explosion at the waterfront. He'd send a reporter to work on that.

Carlos had been ticked off with him this morning at the way he'd been acting. As if he wanted the whole city to know he was Julian Jerome returning from the dead. That wasn't true he had told his enforcer. After all, he'd killed Vince after he'd spilled his identity to Sonny's people. Carlos shook his head, no you did that because he'd betrayed you and proven he couldn't be trusted.

He also couldn't believe that he'd hired the likes of Duke Lavery on his payroll. The man who'd killed him years ago, who'd been his sworn enemy after their partnership had fragmented. Hadn't he ever heard the adage of keeping your friends close and your enemies closer?

Carlos hadn't been convinced but he just shook his head still believing that he was going to out himself soon enough.

That wasn't true of course. He would never endanger the plan that had been so carefully crafted and implemented so far by him and Ava. Except for the times that his sister had been so reckless running off and trying to gaslight Sonny after he'd told her to stay away from him. But from what he heard about the party, it'd worked in their favor. Not only had the party served as an effective diversion for the explosion on the docks, but it'd resulted in the meltdown of Sonny's family. Even if the mobster somehow recovered from his tailspin, he'd have his hands full restoring order within his own house.

So the idea since things were going so well that he'd want to sabotage the objective by revealing his identity…crazy talk. Ava had accused him of the same thing more than once. Accusing him of softening up to much when it came to his "family".

He closed his eyes sinking back in his chair. He thought of that night when he'd almost told Alexis the truth, the words about to be spilled when Olivia had come running inside. Thinking back that had been a close call…but if he'd managed to tell her, how would she have reacted?

Plenty of times since he'd flirted with the possibility of telling Alexis and Sam who he really was…at least the part about him being Sam's father and Danny's grandfather. But his plan…it'd all go up in smoke.

Still…he felt himself drawn to the hospital being pulled away from that plan. When he had to take care of…business…he was all business but afterward…all he could think about was family.

"Good morning…"

In walked Ava wearing a pink number and carrying a matching purse. She sat down in a nearby chair looking completely satisfied.

"So I see your operation went off last night without a hitch?"

He nodded.

"I see the party had some fireworks of its own."

Ava looked delighted.

"Yes it did and Sonny catalyzing the meltdown of his entire family was the icing on the cake."

Julian listened knowing that it helped greatly with their takeover of PC territory to have the reigning Mafia capo emotionally unstable and spiraling down even further. But he meant when he said it could either be a great thing or a dangerous thing. Sonny was if anything, unpredictable and without his pills…too early to tell how it might play out.

"I see you've been busy."

"So have you brother," she said, "I also was busy catching up with Silas."

His brows arched.

"Oh…the doctor who saved Danny's life."

She flashed a look of annoyance.

"No the one that got outed as Kiki's father," she said, "Stick to what's important. By the way I heard you hired Duke Lavery. What's up with that?"

"I needed a solid right hand man in my corporation and he's the best candidate."

She rolled her eyes at him.

"You like playing with fire don't you? I hope you don't get burned big brother because then I'll get burned too and so will everything we worked so hard to accomplish."

"That's not going to happen. I've got everything under control," he said, "Now if you excuse me, I'm off to visit Danny at the hospital. He'll be going home soon, he's been doing so well."

She snarled.

"Again? Really aren't you taking all of this too far?"

"It's none of your business or concern," he said, "Now drop it and get back to business. I've talked to Carlos. We're going to have to start taking care of Sonny's enforcers."

She sniffed.

"A pathetic pair really…that shouldn't be too much trouble."

He sighed.

"We have to handle it very carefully," he said, "find the perfect spot, the perfect time to take them out."

"I'll leave that to you. I have other matters to handle…."

He smirked.

"You mean like Morgan?"

She glowered at him.

"That's my business not yours. You stick to what you know best. Firearms and explosions and keep focused on the "

"That's what I've been doing and you'll see that soon when we take it up to the next level."

* * *

Carlos started hanging around the nurse's station and Alexis took notice of him right away. He wasn't a bad looking man if you like them rough around the edges and shaggy. But he had a magnetism to him and it attracted the female nurses. They all wanted to help him out but all he seemed to want was to talk to Sabrina.

"She's busy…maybe I help you instead?"

He shook his head.

"When is she on break? I got to talk to her."

The nurse shrugged.

"She's just on her shift and won't go on break for hours. Longer if she's sent to the trauma center"

He seemed to digest that when Liz walked up to him.

"Hi there…I heard you're looking for Sabrina Santiago?"

He nodded.

"You know her?"

Liz smiled.

"I sure do…but for security reasons I can't give her location…but if you want to leave a message I can make sure she gets it."

Carlos appeared to consider that and finally nodded.

"Just tell her that old friend of hers dropped by and will call later."

Liz knit her brow but nodded and he walked away, his mind already working through all the locations in the hospital she might be right now.

He bumped into Alexis who was leaving Danny's room.

"Excuse me…"

She looked at him.

"No problem…are you lost?"

He smiled at her.

"No…just looking for an old friend."

She studied him.

"You new in town?"

He paused then smiled.

"No…I'm here to visit my friend. It's open ended."

She smiled.

"Well good luck then…"

Julian walked down the hallway at GH and turned the corner and suddenly saw a sight in front of him. Carlos and Alexis standing together, talking.


	36. Chapter 36

Julian walked up to where Carlos stood with Alexis. She smiled when she saw him approach them.

"Derek…"

"Alexis…"

She gestured to the man next to her.

"He's…I didn't catch your name…"

The man smiled.

"Carlos…and you're?"

She shook his offered hand.

"I'm Alexis Davis and this is Derek Wells. He's the owner and publisher of _The Press_."

The two men shook hands and exchanged pleasantries. Julian cleared his throat.

"You in town long?"

Carlos shook his head, clearly amused.

"I don't know…just popping in on an old friend," he said, "So you don't know how long you're staying in town."

"No I don't…if I stay longer…might be looking for a job."

Julian smiled.

"Maybe there' something for you in publishing. You can call in to Human Resources if you're interested."

Carlos shrugged.

"I might just do that…if I stick around."

Alexis glanced at both of them.

"Sounds like you might be able to help each other," she said, "Well I've got to head on out. I've got a pile of paperwork."

Julian looked at her.

"You coming back?"

She shook her head.

"Molly's got an event at her school. A project she and some friends worked on for an art class."

"Sounds interesting."

She shrugged.

"Just another day in the Davis household."

She walked away and he watched her go then turned to Carlos clearly not happy.

"What the hell do you think you were doing?"

Carlos smiled.

"I came here looking for an old friend of mine and found her instead. She was real nice to me."

Julian's eyes hardened.

"Stay away from her. She's not a part of this and neither is her daughter."

"Haven't met her yet. Is she pretty?"

Julian just stared at him.

"Stick to the plan…and don't get distracted by anything else."

Carlos chuckled.

"It seems like I'm not the one distracted her but I won't ask questions. I'm just here to do a job…and take care of some private business. But I'm a professional and I do good work."

Julian knew that and last night's bombing of Sonny's boat bringing in an illegal shipment had gone quite well. But now Carlos had to really prove himself because it was time to go after Sonny's employees.

Beginning with his number two by default, Shawn Butler.

"We can't talk business here," he said, "Drop by my office after it closes for the night."

"You sure?"

Julian nodded.

"Now get going…We can't be seen together anymore and arouse suspicion."

Carlos nodded and left.

* * *

Dante had been talking to Anna earlier this morning at PCPD and had come by the hospital to check on some paperwork involving the baby that now would be adopted by him and Lulu. The one that Maxie had carried as a surrogate.

He glanced over while he waited for the nurse to give him some of the medical document copies and saw a man talking with Derek Wells the publisher. Someone he hadn't seen before, maybe a new employee of his that had started working there.

Anna had told him about her running into Derek when she'd been checking Duke out of the hospital to make sure he didn't run off and do something foolish. He'd acted a bit odd she thought and had passed that information along to Dante.

Not that it meant anything and besides he'd been busy hearing his mother go into hysterics about his father's latest breakdown at a party. He tried to avoid Sonny when he went all crazy…after what Sonny had done nearly killing him.

Then Olivia nearly getting iced by someone yet unidentified. So Dante tried to maintain a professional distance but still had been heavily criticized by _The Press_ editorial board when he hadn't arrested his own father for waving a gun and threatening to blow A.J. Quartermaine away.

He walked away from the documents, his eyes watching as the man with the beard and wearing a leather jacket walked away from Derek.

* * *

Alexis had headed to the Floating Rib after the presentation at Molly's school over her project which had been very well received. Afterward, Molly and T.J. had gone off to Kelly's to celebrate or chill out over food and dessert along with other students. She noticed that Rafe had kept his distance and that Molly hadn't seemed too happy to see him.

They'd been close enough just several weeks ago. Now, they barely talked and when she'd asked her daughter why, she'd received a shrug in response. Then they'd taken off. She'd seen Shawn but he kept his distance too, just glancing at her.

She made no move to approach him. Then she left to go to the Floating Rib where she ran into Mac tending bar.

"Hi Alexis…chardonnay or the scotch tonight?"

She smiled at him.

"I'll take the wine. Just got back from Molly's school. She did really well and is off celebrating with her friend. I thought I'd do some relaxing and then tackle some of my work at home."

He poured her the wine.

"All work, no play…"

She chuckled.

"I know…I was thinking when all this was over…I might get out more."

His eyes widened slightly.

"You mean…"

She moved her hands.

"Yeah…I might…date. My daughter Sam gave me an earful about it."

He smiled.

"Sounds like a great idea. Alexis, you're an intelligent, vibrant woman with a great sense of humor…"

She pressed her lips together.

"Thanks Mac but this whole relationship thing…I've just never been good at it."

He wiped the bar down with a towel.

"You just haven't found the right person…"

"I'm not looking for that Mac. I just want to get out and have some fun."

He shrugged.

"Okay…so if I know any good looking men who are single…I should send them your way…after vetting them closely of course."

She sipped her wine.

"I…I'm not sure that'll be necessary."

His brows arched.

"Oh…you already have someone in mind?"

She nodded.

"You remember Derek Wells don't you? The man who came in the bar that night?"

He furrowed his brows.

"Yes…the one who hit on you with those stupid lines? Then turned around and was Danny's bone marrow donor."

She nodded, smiling.

"He's a…nice man and he's single and he's attractive," she said, "in his…did I say he was attractive?"

Mac kept a straight face.

"Yes you did Alexis…and speaking of him, he's coming up right behind you."

She turned around and saw him standing behind her, a smile on his face.

"So you think I'm attractive…"


	37. Chapter 37

Alexis turned around to see Derek standing there just like he had been doing the night they first met. Only then he'd been using some cheap pickup line on her that…she'd heard before but somehow when he had used it on her.

Something familiar about it…but then they'd been at it over him bumping the article on Danny's bone marrow drive. She almost felt badly for coming on so strong but not really. She was fighting for her grandson's life and Derek Wells would just have to get over it.

She didn't know how to respond now that he'd caught her in the act of calling him attractive. But he stood there, smiling and waiting.

"I said that?"

"I heard it, now what did you mean by that?"

Alexis looked at Mac but he put up his hands.

"I'm just the bartender," he said, "but I'll be here if you need me Alexis."

He shot Derek the look before he left. That just amused him.

"I don't think he likes me."

Alexis smiled.

"Mac's just like that. He's a friend of mine…been so for years. He's an ex-cop."

Derek gestured to a nearby table.

"I'm ready to try something off the menu," he said, "why don't you join me and you can answer my question."

Alexis bit her lip indecisive. Damn she'd really walked into this one with him. But he did attract her and Sam had cajoled her with some useful…metaphors about it. But she went and sat across from them taking her wine with her.

"I…okay I think that you're attractive but I'm sure you must get that a lot from women so it shouldn't be such an issue."

"So you find me attractive then?"

Her eyes blinked.

"Well yeah…from the way you look and…when…."

He chuckled.

"Hey you walked in on me…without knocking I might add."

She sipped her wine.

"True…that was rude of me but you seemed perfectly fine with it."

"Why shouldn't I be?"

She settled back in her chair not sure how this was going. God, he sure liked getting under her skin and making her squirm. Was this one of his games, he talked about playing while they'd been babysitting Danny?

"No reason...I mean you seem comfortable enough in your skin and that's a good thing, useful in your line of work I imagine."

He nodded.

"Indeed…do I make you uncomfortable Alexis?"

She shook her head.

"No…maybe a little bit. I just came off of a relationship with a man…"

"Shawn…at the hospital…I take it you broke off with him?"

She looked at her wine glass.

"Yes…well I gave him a choice, Sonny or I and he made his choice."

"Then he should live with it and move on," Derek said, "He should respect you enough to do that much."

She sipped her wine again.

"I don't know why but he didn't always treat me as if I could make my own choices," she said, "He keeps telling me how wrong I am about everything…including him.

"You're better off without him."

"I think so," she said, "but he's seeming to have a little trouble with that. His foster son is friends with my daughter Molly so it's been awkward."

"I see. I can make you forget about that…starting with dinner."

She smiled.

"Not much on the menu tonight. I think Mac's making Buffalo wings back there with ranch sauce."

He leaned forward.

"Sounds good to me…and then we can go for a walk on the waterfront."

She looked at him dubiously.

"You ever been on the waterfront?"

* * *

Sam watched Ava waltzing through the hospital not knowing why she was there. The blonde witch had made it clear more than once not to poach on her turf which meant Silas. But Sam had tried to pull away from her relationship with the enigmatic doctor already. She liked him particularly the way he'd thawed in the past few weeks during the crisis with Danny but more recently, well since the anniversary of Jason's death she'd decided to be more cautious. It had nothing to do with not being able to let go of her late husband. Really it had more to do with her and the tremendous growth she'd been through in the past year. She'd mourned him, she'd walked around feeling like the living dead still holding onto her memories of him because if she didn't, if she let go for one second, they'd float away forever.

She knew now that wasn't logical, maybe silly but it'd taken months to realize that when she had been forced to stand on her own two feet because she had a son to raise.

But now the blonde woman wearing the blue dress caught her attention and what was she doing talking to Ellie? Sam had been aware of gossip that Ellie had been the center of a screaming match in GH but hadn't paid much attention to it.

She knew the red headed lab tech had hurt Spinelli and that'd been enough.

"Hey Sam…"

She looked up and saw Carly. That made her wary since the two of them hadn't really ever got along well as long as they knew each other.

"What is it Carly?"

The other woman smirked.

"I hope Danny's doing well…from his transplant."

"Very well Carly…and I know that you've been telling everyone how close we are…that we're practically family."

Carly licked her lips.

"Well we are aren't we? I mean we've had our differences but at the end of the day…"

Sam rolled her eyes at the woman.

"Whatever…"

"Besides I only told Derek Wells that," Carly said, "He's helping me with my marketing campaign."

Sam pursed her lips.

"I'll bet…well you sure work fast don't you?"

Carly recoiled, her eyes flashing.

"What do you mean by that?"

Sam put her hand on her hip.

"I mean that you're kind of the welcoming wagon in PC when it comes to men and that it didn't take you long to go after Derek."

Carly narrowed her eyes.

"What is it to you anyway? I mean he's only a bone marrow donor for Danny. It's not like he's anything but some nice random stranger who helped you out of a jam."

Sam folded her arms.

"He's been very nice to my family…my grandson and my mother," she said, "I just think that he's not really your type."

Carly snarled.

"Where do you get off on telling me who my type is and who it's not," she said, "You might have been married to Jas but I was his best friend. We had history way before he even met you."

Sam just looked at her not taking the bait.

"You win Carly…okay? Not that it matters because he's dead. But you should really just leave Derek alone. Go hang out with Franco…you know the man who terrorized your best friend not to mention what he did to your son."

Carly looked like she might slap Sam but she knew better.

"Why you…"

Sam listened to her and she didn't know why she said anything but somehow…watching Derek with her mom…somehow it just seemed the way it was supposed to be.

She couldn't explain it better than that.

* * *

Alexis and Derek ate plenty of chicken wings. He had some beers while she stuck to her wine. Not too many glasses of it, she knew she had to be careful. Mac wouldn't keep serving her if she looked like she'd had too much.

Their seats had moved closer and they'd actually been chuckling over some stories he'd been telling about his career in the publishing industry when he'd started out writing articles in college. She knew he'd been in Europe and that more than likely an Ivy League school had been there somewhere.

"Harvard…was a great experience. Though the MBA program was intense."

She nodded.

"Yale was pretty tough but for the first time in my life I felt free," she said, "After going to that really strict school in New Hampshire."

"You never went back."

More a statement than a question.

"No…I was homeschooled after…Sam was born," she said, "and my tutor made sure I was ready for how rigorous it would be. I threw myself into my undergrad work…didn't socialize much which annoyed my classmates."

"Not at all?"

She shrugged.

"Like I said, I learned my lesson in high school," she said, "I think I just wanted to forget about that side of it for a while…which I did but I never forgot her."

"Sam…"

She nodded.

"The anniversaries were the hardest…but I got through them."

"I can imagine…"

She shook off the past and smiled at him.

"What about you? Did you do a lot of barhopping or partying at Harvard?"

"I played sports," he said, "which meant both of that. We traveled to Yale for a match once."

He flashed then to when he'd encountered a young woman who'd been accosted by a man. She'd worn sadness around her like a cloak while he'd walked her to the dorm. She'd been quite pretty. His brow knit as he remembered.

"Did I say something wrong?"

He shook his head.

"Not at all. It's just that…"

She waited for an answer but he just smiled. He thought then like he had before how she'd react if he told her the truth. It'd just gotten so complicated adding the Jerome to the Julian.

He'd almost done it a half dozen times but…in the middle of a mob war, was it wise to expose family? No, he decided not so he just kept his secret.


	38. Chapter 38

**1980**

Alexis sat down to write them both letters inside a journal that she'd been given when she asked for one at the chalet where she stayed hidden away. She'd written letters to her deceased parents when she'd been a child in similar journals and once put them into separate bottles to seal up and toss into the Mediterranean Sea. After she watched them bob out to sea with tides, she'd leave with Stefan to go back to the hated compound.

Since her parents never responded to them, she stopped writing them but years later at the chalet, she started writing them again. She wrote Stefan back on Cassadine Island and then later in Athens where he had spent time working in an office for Cassadine Industries as an intern. He'd finished high school early and was taking off a year before attending college.

Sometimes she sent them to him in envelopes that she had someone mail for her in the town, though she never received one in return. Maybe he was just too busy with his workload.

She also wrote the young man who'd gotten her pregnant though she'd start writing them and then tear them up into tiny pieces and burn them in the fireplace. No, she couldn't even know where to send them or even that she would do that. He'd existed in her life one night and then disappeared, back to is own life.

His name, no she'd forgotten it but it was much better that way. If she couldn't remember it, she couldn't repeat it her uncle Mikkos or anyone who asked about him. If her uncle knew or worse Helena, then Mikkos' brothers would try to find him.

She knew they were dangerous and knew they had done horrible things to other people. The servants had whispered about them in passing forgetting that Alexis was part of the background. He'd made her feel good for a while and left her without a backward glance but she didn't want anything bad to happen to him.

It was getting more difficult to move and more so to try and sleep. It all felt so strange, foreign to her to have her body change so much. But what she hadn't expected was how much her baby growing inside would impact her in other ways.

Feeling him kick inside her, move as if impatient to be born, she marveled in her child. She'd lay awake at night with her hands on her abdomen feeling him or her and she'd tell her baby she'd find a way for them to stay together.

Mikkos had told her that she had to give her baby up when she had it and it'd go to a nice family to raise…she'd go back to the Island to continue her studies so she'd eventually be sent to study at one of the Ivy League schools.

She dreaded going back without her child. No, she couldn't ever let that happen. But how could she stop her uncle from his plans? She thought if they could run away, but where would they go? How would she take care of and support a child at 16?

If only Mikkos would understand that it was a part of her. He seemed more interested for a while in pressing her about the man who'd done this to her. He didn't understand that it had been the first time any boy or young man had ever been so nice to her.

The doctor examined her one day when it was snowing outside and she settled down to read her book while she spoke with the woman who took care of her.

"How much longer?"

She sighed.

"Two months maybe less…maybe longer. Hard to tell in a first pregnancy and she's pretty young."

"Healthy though isn't she?"

He paused.

"Yes. No sign of any risk factors you sometimes see in young girls," the doctor shook her head, "Her uncle will receive a copy of my report with an estimate of the due date so he can line up the parents."

The other woman nodded.

"It's for the best. She's young. She'll get over it maybe even forget about it."

The doctor shook her head.

"You don't ever forget these things," she said, "Alexis might need some help with that. I can recommend a therapist."

The woman shook her head.

"That won't be necessary. Mikkos wants her back on the Island. He'll take care of everything."

The doctor sighed.

"Alexis is very attached to her child. She's not acting like someone who's going to give her baby up when it's born. Has anyone sat and talked to her about it?"

The woman shook her head.

"What does it matter? It won't change anything. When the baby's born, she's not even to see it. You will make sure of that."

The doctor hesitated, then nodded.

"If that's your wishes…and those of Mikkos."

But inwardly she didn't know if she could keep that promise.

**New York, 1995**

Alexis walked with the file in her hand. She'd been working with another lawyer doing some research on the holdings of one Victor Jerome who'd died years earlier. There'd been an estate left behind to one of the distant cousin's who'd done quite well given that it appeared most of Victor's closest relatives were all deceased.

He'd had several sons, all dead and a daughter, who had apparently been shot to death by one of her brothers. If she didn't know better she'd think she was looking at a chapter straight out of the Cassadine history book.

The cousin, Emma had just wanted to go through probate on some newly discovered will regarding property left behind owned by Victor that had been discovered. The woman seemed pretty but a bit flighty. She was an artist who had an exhibit in Tribeca and was engaged to a banker.

She had to file it away soon because she had to meet Stefan for lunch. He was conducting a business seminar on a new company acquired by Cassadine Industries.

He'd been morose lately because he'd broken up with one of Alexis' classmates at Yale Law School, Sheila Barnes who'd tired of his controlling ways. She'd come to Alexis for counsel but what could she tell her? He was a Cassadine, and Cassadines by nature were controlling particularly the men. She should thank god it wasn't Stavros.

God, talk about evil. He'd abused Alexis most of her time growing up in the Island along with his pack of friends and if it hadn't been for Stefan it'd been worse. But her cousin had been obsessed with a young woman named Laura who'd wound up on the Island somehow and he'd married her and had a young son named Nikolas.

Laura had escaped and gone back home to PC to her husband, a man named Luke Spencer. She remembered hearing his name a lot tied in with one revenge plot or another for killing Mikkos and Tony for starters.

She'd seen Nikolas when she'd been on the Island being raised by Stefan who'd been like his father. She'd loved her second cousin from the start spending as much time with him and Stefan as possible. She noticed that Helena even treated Nikolas differently.

But Stefan missed Nikolas she could tell and he was getting over his breakup with Sheila so she planned to take him out to lunch.

Damn she looked at her watch and she had just enough time to get to the restaurant if she hurried.

Stefan had to leave the seminar to go to meet Alexis for lunch across Manhattan. She'd convinced him to meet her because she'd been worried about him falling into a depression. Not that it would happen because though he cared for Sheila, he'd already put that relationship behind him and moved on.

A man came up to him just as he was leaving. Tall, dark haired, a serious expression on his face.

"Stefan Cassadine?"

He nodded.

"I'm just about to end the seminar for lunch," he said, "It'll resume at 2 p.m."

The man nodded.

"I'd like to sit in. I work at one of the newspapers and we're interested in covering it."

Stefan smiled.

"Okay then, make sure you get a front row seat."

"Will do…"

Stefan narrowed his eyes.

"What's your name by the way?"

The man smiled.

"Derek. Derek Wells…"


	39. Chapter 39

Anna and Duke were talking in the foyer of the hospital after Duke had gone to run some blood work as follow up to his near fatal medical condition.

"What is it Anna?"

He noticed she had looked perturbed about something and he wondered if it had anything to do with their search for Julian Jerome who just about everyone in PC was learning was rumored to be alive and moving among them.

"Is it about Jerome?"

Duke had told her that he had entrenched himself deeply into his new job working for Derek and that the publishing magnate kept him quite busy. Small tasks first then larger, more involved assignments as he proved himself and gained his trust.

But Anna shook her head.

"It's about Jerry Jacks," she said, "You know Luke and others are hunting to prove that his alleged demise was someone exaggerated. There was a lead in Frankfort not long ago and then…this morning I heard from a WSB briefing via Interpol that someone blew up the building where he was alleged to be holed up the past several months."

Duke's eyes widened.

"Are they sure it was him?"

"They seemed pretty sure and no they don't know who bombed the building. They're going to run forensic tests on any traces of explosives."

Duke frowned.

"Does he have other enemies?"

Anna ran a hand through her hair.

"I'm sure he does…being the lovely personality that he is when he's not playing sociopathic terrorist."

Duke knew that most of the world had believed Jerry to have been dead, vanquished by Sonny and Jax after the terrorist attack on PC's water supply last year.

"Maybe I'd better talk to Alexis Davis," Anna said, "He had some obsessive attachment to her."

Duke frowned.

"I think she made it clear to him that his feelings weren't returned," he said, "though maybe she could help us."

They saw her talking to a nurse outside Danny's hospital room. Anna and Duke approached her.

"Alexis…"

The woman turned her head and looked at them.

"Hello Duke, Anna…how are you doing?"

Anna looked at Duke.

"Fine…how's little Danny?"

Alexis beamed.

"Much, much better," she said, "So may I help you with something?"

Direct and to the point. Anna sighed.

"It's about Jerry Jax…"

"What about him? I mean he's dead isn't he?"

Anna didn't nod and Alexis narrowed her eyes.

"He's not dead…?"

Anna took a deep breath.

"Interpol just dropped us a line that a building blew up in Frankfort and Jerry was believed to be living there for a period of time."

Alexis folded her arms.

"But he's dead…how is that possible?"

Duke cleared his throat.

"We don't have any answers…but do you know anything at all that could help us?"

Alexis paused and then shook her head.

"He'd just better not show up here and that's only a threat if he tries to harm anyone in my family."

Anna smiled.

"The PCPD won't let that happen."

Alexis just looked at her.

"Yeah right…I'll do whatever I need to keep them safe."

Duke and Anna looked at each other and then walked away while Alexis tried to process the latest news about Jerry.

Jax and Sonny had sworn he was dead. Now he was not dead? Damn it was hard to keep the roster straight.

Still she remembered those texts she'd gotten that seemed like they were from him…but she couldn't prove it.

"Hey Alexis…"

She turned around to see Derek approach her.

"Hi you here to see Danny and Sam?"

He nodded.

"Sam's with Silas and Danny's sleeping but I'm sure he'll enjoy a visit."

His brow furrowed.

"I saw Duke and Anna here talking with you. Is everything okay?"

She smiled.

"It's fine…why wouldn't it be? They were just checking on Danny. So Duke's working for you now?"

He nodded.

"He's doing very well in his new position. Might rise through the ranks pretty fast."

"He's a smart man from what I know of him which is mostly by reputation. Anna just wanted to ask me a few questions."

His body stiffened.

"About what?"

She shrugged.

"Nothing much…there's a terrorist who's supposed to be dead but they think he might be alive."

"Which one?"

She paused.

"Jerry Jacks…He was supposed to be dead at the bottom of the harbor with the rest of the bodies."

Derek frowned.

"They think he's still alive. Where would he hide from an international dragnet?"

She shrugged.

"Europe apparently. Frankfort…a building got bombed there and Interpol thinks that's where he might be living."

"Is he dead?"

"They don't know. With Jerry obviously you can never tell, but I've got to call his brother Jax and warn him if he doesn't know already and…make a few other preparations."

"For what?"

"For my children…Kristina's away abroad so I have to make sure she's okay…Molly, I can send to her father's and Sam…she…we can figure out what to do with Danny."

"Let me see what I can do…"

She looked at him puzzled.

"What do you mean Derek? You mean write something in the newspaper?"

He shook his head.

"No, I have some contacts. They can find out what happened to him."

She gave him a strange look.

"Why would you do something like that? You don't even know us."

He paused.

"Because I can and I want to help…this Jerry Jax he's a terrorist. He shouldn't be running around out there."

She put a hand on her hip.

"Oh and how could you stop him? You don't know how ruthless he can get and determined when he's got his mind up."

"I can handle ruthless people."

Looking at him suddenly she knew he could do that.

"But why would you even want to get involved?"

Before he could answer, Sam walked up to them.

"Hi Derek…"

He smiled.

"Sam…"

She looked at her mother.

"Danny's looking really good. Silas said he'd be going home soon."

Alexis smiled.

"That's great…"

Sam's eyes narrowed suddenly.

"What's going on here? I saw Anna and Duke here earlier…"

Her mother smiled at her.

"Oh it's nothing…they just wanted to know about Danny."

"You sure about that?"

Alexis rested her hand on her daughter's shoulder.

"Everything's okay…you just focus on Danny."

Sam folded her arms and frowned.

"Okay what's going on here and don't tell me nothing…"

Both Derek and Alexis looked at each other.

* * *

Ava woke up in the morning needing to face the day. She got out of bed and wandered to shower and get dressed.

It was time to go on the prowl. Check up on her daughter and that cute little boy toy she married. Then track down her errant brother who was supposed to have called her this morning about the next stage of her plan.

But nothing. That meant he was down at the hospital visiting his daughter and grandson. Ava gritted her teeth remembering how Sam had sassed her at that disastrous party that had broken up the entire Corinthos family.

The fuel had accumulated and built up over the years…all she had to do was light a match. Sonny had helped her without knowing it. Her plan had been so brilliant, she was so intelligent, an equal match to Julian who often tried to turn her into one of his little soldiers.

Well if he were going to play the father from afar, he'd better keep his daughter in line and away from Silas. But then again she remembered his words to her about what would happen if she harmed Danny or Sam.

So she'd have to craft the most perfect plan to get her man back and toss that pretender to the curb.


	40. Chapter 40

Alexis took a deep breath and glanced over at Derek.

"It's Jerry Jax. He was killed in a building that exploded in Frankfort."

Sam looked at her incredulously.

"No he wasn't…he died when he got shot after they rescued you. He's in the bottom of the ocean somewhere."

Alexis looked uncertain.

"That's what we were told. He died in a shootout but his body never turned up."

Sam sighed.

"Sometimes they don't…"

Alexis rested her hand on her daughter's shoulder.

"So why did they think…how did they find him in Germany? I mean if he's supposed to have died here?"

Alexis shrugged.

"I don't know…someone did. Maybe Luke found him. Maybe someone else. But they don't think he got out of that building alive after it blew."

Sam narrowed her eyes.

"How'd it blow up? Was it a bomb?"

Alexis nodded.

"Apparently so…they don't know what type of explosive was used let alone who was responsible."

Sam shook her head in disbelief.

"Wow…the man had as many lives as a Cassadine. I can't believe it. Well if he shows up in PC again, I'll have your back."

Alexis smiled.

"Thanks…but if he was killed in the explosion. Anyway, I checked on Kristina on her study abroad and she's practically in a fortress and I thought of sending Molly to her father in L.A. but she wants to stay here."

Derek chimed in.

"You think he'd come to PC."

Sam looked at him.

"It's a possibility. He's got this thing for my mom that's really twisted, like an obsession. You do know that he kidnapped her last year after he poisoned the water supply."

He nodded.

"Read about it in the archives when I did the follow up story."

Sam continued.

"Then you know how crazy a man like Jerry is…he's terrorized our family so the thought of him being alive out there, somewhere, it puts on edge."

Alexis interjected.

"But I know how to take care of my family and I will take care of my family like I said no matter what."

Derek saw the determination on her face that had seen her and Sam through so much already…while he'd been living his life unaware of their existence.

"I know Mom…I just want to help. Jas taught me how to handle myself…and he's not going to step foot in PC without his ass getting kicked."

Alexis smiled.

"That's my girl…"

Derek just stared at the two of them. Alexis looked up at him.

"You find our discussion shocking don't you," she said, "Well when you have to deal with a lunatic and terrorist like Jerry more than once…you learn you have to be prepared…for anything."

Sam's brow furrowed.

"If someone did take him out, I wonder who."

Alexis shrugged.

"Does it matter? I just want to know where I can send my thank yous…"

Derek interjected.

"I'm sure he's got a long list of enemies making him a walking target."

Sam nodded.

"Probably right…so how are the two of you? You went out to dinner right?"

Alexis nodded.

"Yeah we stayed away from Kelly's this time and I had fun…"

Derek smiled.

"I enjoyed myself very much too. Your mother's great company."

Sam smiled at the two of them.

"I've got to go catch Silas before he meets up with Rafe at Kelly's."

Alexis sighed.

"So you two are back talking again after what happened at the party?"

Sam nodded.

"Ava Jerome's might want to get back with him but he's not interested."

Alexis shook her head.

"I don't like how she came after you but I know you'd handle yourself well."

Sam shrugged.

"What can I say? She's pretty crazy acting. Now I know why Silas is more of a quiet type."

Derek listened to them talk about Ava and her antics of the other night. She'd gone over the top with their plan to get at Sonny on a personal level to make him weaker but she got the job done. But messing with Sam hadn't been part of any plan and he'd have to have a word with her about that.

Sam left them to go find Silas and Alexis turned to Derek.

"I'm worried about this Ava Jerome…"

Derek narrowed his eyes.

"You saw that Sam handled her very well," he said, "I think that Ms Jerome will keep her distance."

"I hope so…Like I said, I know how to protect my family."

Derek had no doubt about that and he didn't want to test her on that. Later on, he'd be explaining the rules to his sister about staying away from Sam and her son and what would happen to her if she crossed that line.

But looking at Alexis as she talked about protecting her children, he knew that as formidable as he might be, he might prove the lesser of her worries if she harassed their daughter.

* * *

Carly slinked her way through the Metro Court having felt good kicking out Ava by using her master key to once again bust someone doing something she didn't like in one of her hotel rooms. She didn't worry that it was bad for business or she might lose customers. This was her hotel, well mostly and she had the right to run it as she saw fit.

Franco was driving her crazy. They'd kissed when she'd splashed paint on him for some reason. She'd felt compelled to do it. Not fully understanding it. So she headed on down to GH to kill some free time.

Liz walked up to her.

"Carly what are you doing here?"

"It's none of your business. I mean after you were making excuses for AJ when he went into a drunken tailspin…"

Liz frowned.

"He's in jail right now. No one can see him and it's just not fair. He didn't kill Connie."

Carly shook her head.

"If he didn't then who did?"

Liz shrugged.

"I don't know…it just couldn't be A.J. He's just really misunderstood."

Carly sighed.

"I think I believe you. I wonder if it's someone else…"

"Who?"

"Maybe it's Ava Jerome. Did you know I had to throw her out of my hotel?"

Liz gave her an odd look.

"Yeah I heard about that. But she's…she's got an alibi right?"

Carly thought about it.

"Not really…come to think of it. I'm going to have to find out myself..."

Carly saw Derek standing there talking to Alexis and decided she knew where she had to start. After all, she'd seen them together in the waterfront. Maybe there was more to it than that…more than her just being a client who owned an art gallery.

Time to start snooping and since her latest BFF and partner in crime Felix was busy squabbling with Brad, she might have to go out on this one alone.


	41. Chapter 41

Alexis hated thinking about Jerry, because then she'd have to remember the last time they met up. He'd kidnapped her to take with him when he fled PC with millions of dollars in ransom after poisoning the town's water supply.

He had this idea that he was in love with her. More like obsessed with her but by the time he'd made that declaration in a huge way she'd loathed him. Oh he had excited her once some years earlier when she believed he was capable of redemption.

No he'd been pure evil and she knew that could never be fixed. He could never be good like his brother Jax. But he'd been dead or so she'd been told…his body riddled with bullets sinking in the bottom of the harbor near where it met open ocean.

Still hearing the latest news about him being blown up in the explosion in Frankfort. She'd thought Cassadines were the only people capable of rising up from the dead.

She stood there thinking about it flashing back to when she'd gone to visit him in a jail cell as his lawyer. Only agreeing to do that so she could find out what he really wanted in exchange for the antiserum that the majority of people in PC desperately needed to survive the toxin.

Including two of her own daughters, who would die without the cure. She had said she refused to outlive her own children…after learning she'd been given an antidote for it several weeks earlier without her knowledge along with Jax's daughter to spare them both.

"So you think he's really dead this time?"

She turned around and saw Derek approach her.

"I don't know what to think," she said, "I think that Jerry's got more lives than even members of my own family."

"What?"

She waved her hand.

"Long story…I just hope he doesn't show up here but like I told them, I'll take care of my family if he does appear."

Derek frowned.

"All by yourself?"

She narrowed her eyes.

"Well one would hope the PCPD would help but they're short staffed. I don't know if there's anything to worry about…sound like someone did my job for me."

"I'd say so if it's true about him being blown up."

She shrugged.

"I can handle it and him. He's just psychotic and dealing with him is stressful to say the least. But my girls…I have to look after them given that their fathers are all busy elsewhere."

He paused while she took a breath.

"I mean Sonny's busy with dealing with the train wreck that's his family…thank god Kristina wasn't exposed to that and Ric…he's busy with newest girlfriend and you know about Sam's father."

He nearly choked on that comment but covered it with a cough.

"Yeah you told me. Being a single mothers must be tough…for you and for Sam."

Alexis smiled.

"She handles it so much better than I did. But I love my children and Danny…best things that ever happened to me. We're all together and that itself is a miracle."

"Yeah it seems so…"

She looked at him suddenly as something crept into his usually so self-assured voice.

"Anyway if Jerry's dead…then thanks to whoever took him out then…one less thing to worry about, enough excitement in PC."

"So you free tonight?"

She just looked at him.

"I don't know…I'll have to check my calendar…why?"

"There's a concert in the park…"

"I know that…Molly and TJ are going…it's a music festival."

They started walking towards the exit to the parking lot.

"So would you like to go?"

She thought about it a moment.

"I did enjoy the other night…okay…I'll see you there," she said, "I just got to head home and make sure Molly does her homework before she goes and that I get some work done."

"A lawyer's work…"

"Same as a publisher's I imagine in that there's always something that needs to be done."

He walked her out to her car and made sure she got safely inside of it. He watched her drive off and then reached for his phone to get a status on Jerry and the explosion in Frankfurt that hopefully ended his life and reign of terror.

* * *

Ava had Morgan get her some digs after she'd been tossed out of the Metro Court. She had no intention of giving up her Corinthos boy toy as long as she'd been out in the cold.

She'd been on a downer since the exhilaration of her party had worn off. Well, what little there'd been which had mostly been in the form of Sonny's meltdown. After that it'd gone downhill so fast. Silas had rebuffed her attempts to rekindle their relationship and gone off running after that skank Sam Morgan…careful though she was Julian's daughter and he'd warned her not to touch her. Then she'd bedded Morgan and then…Carly had broken in her hotel room followed by Michael and Kiki who'd turned around and smacked her face.

She poured on the tears and Morgan took pity on her and besides she'd loaned him her credit card so he could start gambling again.

But even though she had Morgan wrapped around her finger she still wanted Silas back and she had to use whatever means to do that…without tipping Julian off. God, he was foolish enough to hire Duke Lavery to work at his publishing business and risk exposure. Even the adage of keeping your friends close and your enemies closer didn't fit with his reckless plan.

She got dressed and headed on out to the publishing office to see if she could find her brother there. She bumped into Anna who looked to be in a rush.

"Excuse me…."

Ava smiled at the police commissioner who looked at her more sharply.

"Hello Ms Jerome. Sorry about that…"

Ava pursed her lips.

"I'm just in a hurry…need to get to the gallery. I've got a shipment of painting to look at."

Anna digested that.

"I might need you for more questioning," she said, "on the murder investigation and to ask you some questions about one of your family members."

"Which one? They're all dead."

Anna sighed.

"Julian Jerome…"


	42. Chapter 42

Ava just looked at Anna dumb founded.

"Julian Jerome? He's dead right? I read somewhere that he was killed in a shootout some years ago."

Anna folded her arms.

"But you're related to him right?"

Ava sniffed holding her purse closer to her.

"Barely…we're distant cousins…I…I came from the more cultured side of the Jerome family and not the mobster or riff raff side of it."

"I see…well you know there's been some talk that well…even among the dead it seems that their name and reputation exceed their time on this earth."

Ava pursed her lips.

"I did hear from a cousin that Julian Jerome was larger than life. Wanted to be a Mafioso like his father and…fell short in his execution. But he's dead and hasn't been to any family reunions at least not in my branch of that family."

"Okay then…his name did come up in connection with something that happened…"

Ava frowned.

"What…what happened?"

Anna shook her head.

"Nothing…well thank you for your time…Ms Jerome. I might need to talk to you again."

Anna left and Ava just stared at her, fuming. Damn they'd only been in PC several months and already the name of a dead man was being dropped in town. Julian must not have been as careful as he claimed to be…after all his words to her about not acting out of haste or rash impulse…following the deliberate and strategic step by step plan they'd created.

She'd have to have some words with him.

* * *

Carly wandered up to Derek while he was in the lobby of the Metro Court.

"Hi there…I was wondering when I'd see you again."

He appraised her coolly.

"Hi Carly…how's it going with Sergio?"

She frowned.

"With who…?"

"Sergio, the one helping you on your marketing plan for the hotel."

She brightened.

"Oh yeah…It's going quite well. He's got a lot of ideas."

Derek sighed.

"That's good…I'll be seeing him tomorrow on other business. So I'll see any marketing plans then."

Carly smiled at him.

"Good…you're looking good today."

He looked at his watch.

"I have to go…I'll talk to Sergio tomorrow…"

Derek left them and Carly frowned as Franco sidled up to her.

"I see he took off pretty fast."

Carly nodded.

"Yeah…and I thought I told you to leave my hotel."

Franco shrugged.

"I'm visiting someone. You can't stop me and I don't know why you even try Carly. You know you feel compelled to see me."

Carly just sighed. He did have some type of hold on her and she didn't know what.

"Franco do you want me to call security again?"

He smirked.

"You wouldn't with me would you?

"Oh yes I would…and that painting of me….well that painting…"

She didn't even want to remember the paint fight. Really this was the most trouble she'd ever had with getting a man in PC. It seemed the drought would never end.

* * *

Alexis loved her house by the lake where she lived with her daughter Molly. Kristina was off at her summer college abroad and Sam had spent most of her time at the hospital with Danny. She got a phone message that Dante had needed to meet with her about a custody battle over his and Lulu's daughter.

Maxie had been the surrogate and Alexis had heard there'd been an uproar at the christening and some revelations that little Connie wasn't the biological daughter of Dante and his wife, but of Maxie and Spinelli of all people.

Alexis had been glad to miss that one. Nikolas had been there but she hadn't talked to him for a couple days. Dante wanted her to represent them and she considered it. But damn it'd be tough, family law was always tough and messy and emotional. She felt torn because Dante's father employed her and Lulu's half-brother was of course Nikolas her nephew…but Maxie's stepfather the man who'd raised her was Mac and Spinelli was a close friend of Sam's and little Danny's.

What a mess. She knew if she did take the case she could handle the conflicts but did she really want to do that? She'd have to think about it so she didn't call Dante back right away. She wondered what role Sonny had to do with all this.

In an hour she'd be meeting Derek in the park for the music festival. She enjoyed spending time with him and he seemed to like her.

She picked out some dark jeans and a sweater and got dressed to head on out. Her phone rang. She picked it up and saw it was Mac.

"Hi there…"

"Hi Alexis…did I catch you at a bad time?"

"No…I'm heading on out to meet up with Derek in the park…for the festival."

He sighed.

"I assume you heard about Maxie…"

She paused.

"I did…about the christening. Connie is really her daughter isn't she?"

"Yeah…it all came to a head and there was a lot of screaming and Maxie got her face slapped by Lulu."

Alexis had to sit down.

"Damn…so what's going to happen?"

Mac sighed.

"She wants custody of the baby," she said, "It's her baby isn't it?"

"Well yes…but I'll have to know the circumstances of the case and research them," she said, "Family law is not my best area…and I have to tell you Mac. Dante already called me for a meeting tomorrow about the same baby."

"I see…"

"Look I haven't decided on anything. I'll let you know what I decide. You know Dianne Miller has more experience in this type of law than I do. Some say she's a much better attorney."

"Now Alexis…"

"Maybe…well like I said, I'll talk to you tomorrow or the next day about it."

She clicked off her phone then grabbed her purse and got on out of there to head to the festival.

* * *

Derek parked at the festival and found it to be quite crowded with booths where food and drinks were sold and a band was setting up to take the stage.

He saw Molly with a young man and they met up with a couple of teenagers. He saw crowds of people around the bandstand.

His phone vibrated. He answered it.

"Carlos…you at the docks?"

"Nah I'm near Kelly's. There's another shipment coming in soon."

"Really…"

"More…coffee…"

Derek chuckled.

"Keep an eye on it…we're not hitting tonight…"

"Good because I got to call on an old friend," Carlos said, "What about you?"

"I'm out and about enjoying the culture in PC for the evening… talk to you later…"

Carlos interrupted him.

"What about that other job?"

Derek remembered.

"It went successfully. The target's been destroyed. No sign of it since."

"Good…though I don't know what that has to do with what we're trying to do here."

"It's not your concern," Derek said, "Your concern is that shipment."

"Got you…"

Derek clicked off his phone and looked up to see Alexis walk towards him. She smiled at him and he back at her.

"Good to see you…"

"You two…sorry I'm late. I had some business to conduct."

"Nothing to do with Corinthos…"

She shot him a warning look but softened it.

"No…it's a family law case," she said, "Couple entered into a surrogacy contract and well…it didn't turn out as planned. I've been contacted by both parties."

"So you got to pick one of them?"

"Or neither…I've known both parties or their families. It's a real messed up case."

"Families sometime are like that."

Alexis arched her brows. Derek never talked about his family much. But he changed the subject quickly offering her to go find something to eat before the concert started. He rested his hand in the small of her back as they walked across the grass.


	43. Chapter 43

Anna ran into Duke at Kelly's and they enjoyed some of the roast beef sandwiches that Shawn had prepared for them in the kitchen. Duke had been talking about working for his new boss and how much he enjoyed it.

She frowned.

"I don't know. I don't trust this Derek Wells. I mean he shows up in town not long after the name Julian Jerome starts floating around town."

Duke sighed.

"Only from one of Sonny Corinthos chatty associates. You know I don't think they just interviewed Vince I think it got more intense than that."

Anna shrugged.

"Duke you know we have to treat Sonny with kid gloves. His son Dante's on the police force."

He narrowed his eyes.

"That hardly seems right does it? Clever boy Sonny…having friends on the inside."

Anna's eyes turned sharp.

"Enough on Sonny…he's done so much for PC. We need to focus on if Julian Jerome's back from the dead and if so, where he's hiding…"

Duke shrugged.

"I don't know…I thought working for Derek would give me more contacts and connections. I've been checking around and he's quite a fixture in the publishing world and has a rep as a media conglomerate kingpin that can't be anything but admired."

She shook her head.

"It can't be that easy. Anything else about him?"

Duke thought about it.

"He got a lot of awards. He's working on a lot of stories. He's also been sending flowers to two women, Alexis Davis and Sam Morgan."

Anna arched her flowers.

"That's right…he was the bone marrow for Danny Morgan a couple months ago. Bucked some pretty heavy odds to do that."

Duke nodded.

"We already talked to Alexis…"

"Mostly about Jerry Jacks…whose body hasn't been found yet by the way."

Duke shrugged.

"They have to sift through a lot of rubble and probably run DNA and all that."

"Maybe…anyway I think I'll talk to her and Sam Morgan about it. I'm not getting a good feeling about this Duke. The man's been dead for nearly 25 years and well…his name pops back up from one of Sonny' associates?"

Duke smiled.

"Don't worry my Anna…I'm so on this case. I will report back to you when I hear anything."

* * *

Alexis and Derek walked together during an intermission in the concert. The music was soft jazz, a favorite of hers and he seemed to enjoy it too. They both relaxed to it, the unseasonably hot day cooled enough.

But she couldn't get the phone calls off of her mind. First Dante and then Mac and all over a baby that had just been born. She didn't catch all the details just that PCPD had been called out on a disturbance at the church and then abruptly called off when they saw it was Dante's family. She knew that a face had gotten slapped in there somewhere. But that was hardly news in PC these days.

If Derek wanted to be creative he could add a column in his newspapers documenting all the face slaps in PC.

Did she really want to get involved in what could turn into a messy legal battle with her loyalties put to the test? She knew Dianne would snap up one of the parties just like that because Dianne didn't concern herself with things like loyalties or even relationships with other people. She just went for the win…to prove she was the best trial attorney in PC.

She probably was…Alexis didn't harbor any illusions that it was her because she always got caught up with the people involved since she knew most of them and to put all that aside would require harnessing a side of her she kept hidden with the rest of her heritage.

Being a Cassadine hadn't brought her anything but grief most of her life.

"Alexis…"

She shook herself out of her reverie.

"What…oh are they starting up again?"

"No…you just look so deep in thought. Anything bothering you?"

She looked into his concerned face and she always felt compelled to share things with him.

"I'm not sure what to do with this custody case," she said, "It might get ugly real fast if the christening was any indication."

"Ah, we published a brief piece on some property damage at a church and a priest on the verge of a breakdown."

Alexis sighed.

"I've been contacted by both sides of it and I know people on both sides and…"

He nodded.

"You don't want to get caught in the middle of it."

She frowned.

"That…that's probably mostly it…"

"Mostly…but…?"

She pursed her lips…tucking a strand of hair back.

"I…just this whole situation with Danny and the bone marrow transplant…when I was trying to find more information on Sam's father…it just reminded me of what happened…"

He paused.

"With Sam when she was born?"

She nodded.

"I lost her not long after and she was put up for adoption. I didn't have any say in the decision…my uncle…well my father made it…it's complicated like my family."

"So you think that means you might side with the birth mother?"

She shrugged.

"It doesn't matter. I can do my job with whoever I represent. I'm a professional at what I do. It's just that yeah I might identify more with the birth mother even though the circumstances are far different."

"It's a surrogacy isn't it?"

"Started out that way but it's more complicated. The baby was supposed to be the child of the couple that used the surrogate and instead through a strange set of circumstances…she's the daughter of the surrogate and he ex-boyfriend."

"Oh…"

"Yeah…oh….Mac had no idea why Maxie was acting so upset even hysterical. They thought it was postpartum depression when she claimed the baby was hers but it turned out to be true. It's all over town thanks to the gossip mill."

"So you're feeling conflicted because…of what happened when you were 16?"

She answered too quickly.

"No…no…I can do my job no matter what…"

Molly walked up to them then while texting on her phone. She frowned at something that appeared on it. Alexis looked at her daughter.

"Hi there…you here with TJ?"

Molly looked at the text and then back up at her mom.

"Yeah he's talking to Rafe and Taylor…they're going with each other now."

Alexis furrowed her brow.

"Is that a recent development?"

Molly shrugged.

"Yeah…"

She returned to her texting, frowning. Alexis looked at her.

"What is it?"

Molly shrugged.

"I don't know…I got a text about…it's just one of the mean girls from school."

Alexis arched her brows.

"Oh…are you having any problems?"

Molly shook her head.

"I can handle it….but the text is some photo of a lion statue….in some rock."

Alexis frowned.

"Hmmm….there are lots of lion statues honey."

Molly rolled her eyes.

"I know that mom…some writing…Fidel AC VIRTUTI…"

Alexis glanced at Derek.

"I think that's Latin…"

TJ walked up to them and shot Derek a look, a smile at Alexis.

"Hey Molly…the other kids are hanging out by the pizza stand."

Molly looked at her mom…Alexis smiled.

"I'll see you after the festival…just to make sure you're okay."

Molly sighed.

"I'm always okay Mom…no worries…"

She dashed off and Alexis watched her go wishing that were always the case. She looked back at Derek but his mind was working.

"What?"

He smiled.

"Nothing…loyalty and bravery…"

She tilted her face looking at him.

"Oh from Molly's text…that's what those words mean…"


	44. Chapter 44

Alexis enjoyed her outing with Derek. They listened to the music and then ate some of the food together. Molly and TJ were off with their friends and Alexis saw Dante and Lulu together not looking very happy near the bandstand. She sighed, not looking forward to the meeting tomorrow. Her family came first so she'd first thought about how Nikolas felt about his half-sister and the fact that Dante was the brother of her middle child.

The fact that he was also Sonny's son, well that factored into it but not so much. She carefully had integrated herself into his complicated life which had just blown up again a couple days ago, almost upstaging the explosion of one of Sonny's shipments that had come in at the harbor.

But then her own life had always been complicated…

* * *

**Earlier 1980**

_She sat on the shore of the Mediterrean never feeling emptier in her life. A gaping hole inside of her where her heart had been. Mikkos had arranged for her to return to Cassadine Island and in that dreaded suite of the compound after she'd sufficiently recovered from giving birth to her little girl. _

_The one she'd only seen for a few precious moments before she'd been whisked away forever. Mikkos had told her the baby would be adopted by a suitable family and live a happy life. In the meantime Alexis would be returning to her own life as if this chapter of it had never happened. _

_As if she hadn't given her own flesh and blood away…_

_Life had settled into a route that was mostly dull and repetitive, though with Helena and Stavros lurking around, moments of chaos and terror as well. Helena raked her over what had happened to her birthing a bastard child and Stavros…just was being Stavros. She slipped away in the later afternoons to go to the beach so she could sit under the fading sunlight and look across the water to the land she imagined on the other side of it. _

_Her body was remembering what it was like not to be pregnant and she hid it mostly under larger clothes and the walks to the shore and back gave her exercise. They had given her an injection after the birth so her milk wouldn't come down as they called it and the body soreness had faded away. By the time she flew back to Cassadine Island on the Gulfstream, she felt almost normal. _

_No she'd never be normal again. _

"_Hey I thought I'd find you here…"_

_She looked up and saw Stefan suddenly there and he sat down beside her on the sand. She wanted to smile, but she didn't know if she could again. _

"_How your lessons going?"_

_She shrugged. _

"_Okay…boring…I learned most of this already. I was top of my class…before…"_

_She fell silent and his gaze followed hers. He was a handsome man, her cousin and he'd returned from an internship he'd done for Mikkos. _

"_You will be again when you go to Yale…and then Yale School of Law."_

_She nodded. It'd already been decided but she looked forward to it and going back to America again. Not that she would do anything but focus on her studies of course. _

"_So what about you Stefan?"_

_He sighed. _

"_I'm going into the MBA program and then do some time at Cassadine Industries before going to America eventually."_

_Suddenly they heard voices…male voices in sharp disagreement with each other. They looked and saw Mikkos with his brothers Tony and Victor. Alexis frowned._

"_What are they doing, I see them every day going in and out of that building."_

_Stefan rubbed his chin. _

"_I've got no idea…they're up to something but even my mother doesn't know what my father's been doing and she'll suspect him of adding another mistress to his collection."_

_Alexis studied her cousin and she almost felt like confiding him but knew she couldn't really trust anyone. She'd been thinking about leaving the Island, planning an escape to somehow get to America…starting with the clinic in Maine where her baby had been born and start looking for her daughter. _

_She didn't know how she did it but she couldn't stop thinking of her baby. She thought of the father, the young man who she'd met in the bar. Could he help her? But she dismissed that quickly…she'd never seen him again and he'd probably forgotten about her by now. _

_Stefan looked at her and spoke softly. _

"_Alexis you can't go back. None of us can…"_

* * *

She blinked her eyes and she was back in the present at the park with her date. The music had stopped playing and more people milled around.

"Alexis…"

She looked over at Derek who had focused on her.

"What? Oh I'm sorry…"

"No need to apologize…you look deep in thought."

She shook her head.

"It's nothing…just something I remembered. I think because I might be taking on the custody case with someone as a client."

"Decided yet?"

She sighed.

"I've got family on one side. A best friend on the other side. But family…"

"Dante's Sonny's son too isn't he?"

She nodded.

"He's Kristina's half-brother too. And Lulu…she's Nikolas' sister and he matters me as much as anyone in my family."

"He's a good man."

"Yes he really is…I think Laura's genes won out over his father's and I'm so happy about that. But this case…family court gets really messy for obvious reasons and it can get ugly…I'm hired to try to win for my clients and that means…"

"Playing down and dirty?"

She shot a look at him.

"In a manner of speaking…yes."

He smiled.

"I might enjoy seeing some of that."

She tilted her face looking at him.

"So you can have another scandal to publish on the front page of your newspaper?"

He shook his head.

"No to see you in action…on your turf. I've heard you've got a hell of a reputation."

She chuckled at that.

"I think that's Dianne. You want cutthroat, ruthless, down and dirty whatever you call it…I can give you her number."

He smiled in that way he had that brought some flush to her cheeks.

"That's not what I meant and you know it…."

She looked at him directly.

"Yeah I do…"

Suddenly they heard some yelling and saw Carly by a display of paintings yelling and pointing her finger at Franco who'd been talking to another woman. She pointed her finger at him and she looked ticked off.

Alexis rolled her eyes.

"There goes Carly…again…."

"I see that…"

Alexis studied him.

"You know you'll fall for her…or wind up with her…all the new, interesting men do…"

His brow arched.

"You think I'm interesting?"

She smiled at that.

"Look it's going to happen," she said, "It always does. The men end up a little worse for her."

She appraised him slowly, thoroughly. Two could play at that after all.

"Bit of a shame in your case…excuse me I've got to take this phone call…I'll be back in a minute…"

Derek watched her go shaking his head. Had she really just…he smiled to himself. Suddenly he thought about the text that Molly had received for no particular reason.

The lion in the hillside, sandstone…the Latin words, Fidel AC VIRTUTI. He remembered where he'd seen this particular landmark before…

Lucerne Switzerland.


	45. Chapter 45

Derek wondered what had looked familiar about the famed Lucerne landmark of the courageous lion and then remembered that he'd traveled through many countries in Europe while he'd been studying abroad as part of his business program.

Why would someone text something like that to Molly? Had it been one of her friends? It just seemed a bit odd. Alexis had gone off to deal with a phone call and he'd gotten another text from Ava that she needed to talk with him.

He thought her becoming somewhat of a loose cannon…now she had her hooks into Sonny's youngest, Morgan and hadn't passed along that information to her brother. Not that she did much of that these days he noticed. He'd known from the start he'd have to keep an eye on baby sister…she'd been so damn volatile during even the planning stages away from PC.

Alexis returned back from her phone call. He smiled at her, never being able to help himself. It was just because they'd gotten closer during the whole health crisis with Danny Morgan. It had nothing to do with how attracted to her he'd been the night they met at the Floating Rib…without understanding why. After the way she'd lit into him about the bumped story…he could have just dismissed her and walked away.

But he hadn't, he'd walked away already trying to figure out how to make it up to her and Sam.

"Derek…"

He looked up at her.

"Something on your mind?"

He shook his head quickly.

"Just work…they're doing a spread on the latest explosion at the docks…"

Alexis rolled her eyes.

"That's about as newsworthy as an ELQ scandal."

He sighed.

"It's news and since your boss is involved, I thought it'd concern you…at least interest you."

She shrugged.

"Like I said I'm just on the legal side of him and that's complicated too."

He tilted his head.

"How so? You're an attorney who works for him on retainer when he needs your…services."

She nodded.

"I'd quit working for him more than once and thought I'd walked away from it forever…but…"

He saw some conflicting emotions in her eyes.

"But, what?"

She bit her lip thoughtfully.

"I'd rather not get into it…"

He nodded.

"Okay but if you ever want to leave and need another client…I could always use a top notch attorney in PC."

She arched a brow.

"I don't do media law. I'm mostly a corporate attorney who does criminal on the side."

He smiled.

"That might be perfect actually…"

She frowned.

"How so?"

A shriek interrupted them and they saw Carly standing nearby hitting Franco with what looked like a rolled up magazine or newspaper. Everyone hushed at the latest melee in public by a woman famous for them.

Alexis rolled her eyes.

"What the….?"

Derek looked amused.

"I guess they're having some sort of lover's quarrel…"

Carly was not giving Franco any chance to get on his feet. She just kept hitting him with the newspaper.

"I saw you acting all flirty with Dianne…you can't deny it can you?"

Franco tried putting his hands up in surrender.

"No my sweetness…she's my lawyer…you do get that don't you? Ouch…don't hit me so hard!"

Carly snarled at him, holding the newspaper up high.

"I…I don't believe you…she was in your hotel room….when we were…uh…never mind…"

Franco just tried to explain but obviously Carly wasn't listening to him. Alexis didn't care to watch any more of it. Molly had texted her that she was going back to Kelly's with TJ and some friends to hang out. Alexis had told her to make sure she didn't stay out past 11.

She looked at Derek.

"Look I've got work to do…and this isn't my idea of entertainment."

He sighed.

"Mine either. Why don't we head to the Floating Rib, meet up there and continue our conversation?"

She considered his invite and nodded.

"As long as it's not about Sonny or the work I do for him…"

He smiled.

"Deal. There's other topics I'd rather discuss…."

She walked with him back to where they'd parked eager enough to avoid the latest melee caused by PC's reigning drama queen. She had enough drama with the custody battle, the revelation that Jerry had been alive and now was dead again…she just needed to kick back and relax for a while.

Derek, he was someone she enjoyed spending time with…someone who had stepped in to save her grandson's life and she's always be grateful to him for that.

* * *

Sam ran into Liz in the hospital after she'd met up with Silas for some dinner. They'd been talking about how well Danny had been doing at home.

She saw Liz talking to a man with facial hair and who spoke with an accent. Liz shook her head at him a lot.

"I told you Sabrina's not here…She's got the night off and you know about her and Patrick…"

The man looked exasperated but mostly in an amused way. She narrowed her eyes and both Liz and the man looked at her.

"Who are you?"

The man smiled at her.

"I'm Carlos…and I'm here looking for my woman but I hear she's not working tonight."

Liz looked tired. But Sam knew she and other nurses had been working double shifts.

"Look I told you…she has the night off…"

Carlos' eyes fell on her.

"You're a very pretty lady…if it weren't for my Sabrina…I might…"

Liz shook her head. Clearly the man was a head case if he believed that Sabrina was thinking about him right now.

"So Carlos what do you do," Sam asked, "I haven't seen you around here."

He paused, then smiled again.

"I came into town looking up an old friend…and I needed to make some money so I work for a local business."

Sam pressed further.

"Which one?"

"The publishing company that does the newspaper and that girly magazine…Crimson…?"

Sam nodded.

"I've heard of it. Interesting…so you know Derek quite well?"

Carlos suddenly looked more guarded but still smiled. Sam sensed he could be quite a charmer when wanted or needed…but his eyes…like a hawk. She'd seen that look before…in her own husband when…

"Anyway…now that I know my Sabrina's not here, I'll have to look elsewhere for her. Thank you very much…Liz…"

Liz just was like, whatever at that point but Sam kept her eyes on him. Before leaving, he shot her a look.

"And who are you…another very pretty woman in a city filled with them…"

Sam made a face. She knew he was playing her.

"I'm Samantha Morgan…"

His eyes widened slightly and she puzzled at that but this man was clearly not what he appeared to be. But then who was in PC?

Both she and Carlos left Liz then and went their separate ways.


End file.
